


Season 4

by YumYumPM



Series: Season Four [1]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Episode Related, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-30
Updated: 2015-01-20
Packaged: 2018-03-04 06:57:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 38,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2956619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YumYumPM/pseuds/YumYumPM
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is the culmination of two Stories<br/>He Didn't Say Goodbye<br/>(Tony's POV)<br/>and<br/>Where Do We Go From Here?<br/>(Gibb's POV)<br/>By YumYumPM</p><p>These was written around episodes aired in 2007 and before we learned more about Gibb's parents.<br/>Thanks to Wikipedia for the summaries</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. He didn't Day Goodbye-Shalom

He Didn’t Say Goodbye  
(Tony's POV)  
Chapter 1-Shalom

(After witnessing a Mossad agent perform an assassination, which was not authorized by Mossad, Ziva is suspected by the FBI to be a double agent. Now a fugitive and on the run, Ziva is forced to ask for help from Gibbs, who is in Mexico after retiring from NCIS. Tony finds his leadership skills being tested to the limit as he leads the team to search for Ziva and to prove her innocence before the FBI can arrest her.)

Tony stood in front of McGee’s desk, his former desk, staring off into space. The Director was gone, taking the snapshot Gibbs had left with her.

“You okay, Tony?” Ziva asked, her hand on his arm.

The concerned question jerked Tony’s mind back from his thoughts. Gibbs had left, presumably returning back to Mexico, without telling him goodbye. That hurt more then he wanted to admit.

He didn’t let on as he took a deep breath before turning to her. “Yeah. I’m fine.” 

Taking her by the arm he led Ziva to the elevator. “The Director is right, you need to get home. I’ll walk you down.”

“I’m perfectly capable of leaving on my own,” Ziva said, pulling her arm away. 

By this time they were at the elevator. Tony lowered his voice. “So you want to get together at my place tonight or yours?”

Ziva looked back at the bullpen, making sure no one was paying them any attention. Then she looked down at the floor, before looking up into Tony’s face, her eyes pleading for his understanding. “I’m not sure that would be a good idea.”

“Come on, Zee-va.” He elongated her name teasingly. “You gonna let your old man dictate what you do?” His eyebrows rose questioningly, Tony knew she was as pissed off as much he was that her father was keeping her under surveillance. 

She made a face while deliberating and finally nodded her agreement. “Your place,” she said reaching into her purse and withdrawing a sheet of paper. “Here is what we need. Do not forget anything.”

Tony glanced at the list, smiled and put it away in his pocket as Ziva entered the elevator and hit the down button. Tony rubbed his hands together as he turned back to the squadroom.

“McGee and Probie, come with me,” he commanded.

“Where to, Boss?” McGee asked while Michelle Lee scurried to catch up with both men.

Tony put his arm around both members of his team, Michelle looking uncomfortably at his arm, draped around her shoulder, as he walked them to the back elevator. Pushing them into the elevator, Tony said, “I’ll meet you in the gym,” waving brightly to the two confused team members as the door shut.

After contemplating the closed doors for a moment, Tony headed for Abby’s domain. The room was dark, but he knew Abby was still there somewhere. 

“Abs?” Tony called out. Not receiving a reply, he tilted his head, his sharp ears catching the sound of sniffling coming from one corner. He moved through the room, finding Abby with her arms wrapped around Bart. Slipping down next to her, he took her into his arms. “What’s the matter, Abs?” he asked as if he didn’t know.

“I thought he was going to stay,” Abby tearfully replied. She squeezed Bart causing him to fart.

Kissing the top her head Tony sighed. “Yeah, so did I.” Tony pulled Abby up while he pushed himself up from the floor. “Come with me. You can help keep Probational Special Agent Lee from beating McGee to a pulp.” 

Once he had Abby settled and he had changed, Tony approached his two agents. McGee was wearing his usual sweatpants, oversized t-shirt and sneakers. Lee was decked out in a designer exercise outfit, sports bra and spandex workout pants, and top-of-the-line athletic shoes. 

“What’s she doing here?” Lee asked snidely, nodding toward Abby.

Barely controlling the urge to shake the young agent, Tony said coldly, “She’s here to make sure Special Agent McGee doesn’t mop the floor with you.”

The look of open-eyed amazement on her face had McGee turning away so she couldn’t see him smirk.

“And what will you be doing?” McGee asked once he’d gotten himself under control. The implied insult to Abby was enough to guarantee that he would not take it easy on their newest member.

“Thought I’d take a few hits on the punching bag. Not that it’s any of your business,” Tony snapped and immediately regretted it. There was no need for him to take out his aggravations on McGee. Ziva accused him of being insufferable. He was being that way now.

Tony moved toward the punching bag and stared at it for a few minutes before starting a rhythmic one-two punch. Thinking about everything that had happened with his team since he’d gotten back from the conference, caused him to hit the bag harder. Ziva going missing. Having to deal with Agent Slacks. He knew very well the man’s name was Sacs, but he would never call the man by his correct name, at least not to his face. Slacks who thought Ziva was a terrorist. Who still thought he, Tony, had murdered that woman and chopped off her legs. He could see that the man was going to be a thorn in his side. His punches got faster as he thought about being in charge for the last four months and having to live in the shadow of Gibbs. Trying to live up to Gibbs’ performance. Gibbs finally coming back to help Ziva, not to see Tony. Gibbs calling him McGee. That hurt. The conversation he had held with Ducky after hearing that the safe house Ziva and Gibbs were in was blown-up running through in his head. 

“Not good, Ducky.”

“You did manage to call them, didn’t you?”

“I got Gibbs’ voice mail. I don’t think he ever learned how to use it.”

“And the number… Abby has for Ziva?”

“Not picking up.”

“Then there is only one thing for you to do.”

“I know. Contact the Director and let her know they’re probably dead and resign for disobeying a direct order.”

“You’ll do nothing of the sort, Anthony DiNozzo.”

“And why is that?”

“Because the man that did that is still out there and I’ll be damned if we’ll let him get away with it.”

“What would Gibbs do, right? I’ve got a bulletin for you, Ducky. I am not Gibbs.”

“No. You’re not. Gibbs quit. You’re still here.”

“Why wasn’t I with Ziva? I turned over my responsibility to him without even thinking about it.”

“Gibbs is one of the most capable agen…”

“Was, Ducky. You didn’t see him. I mean it didn’t even look like Gibbs. I think he went native down there.”

“Ah, Tony.”

“His hair is all long and crazy looking and he’s got this scraggly beard. He looks like a pirate or something. His eyes are all bloodshot. Probably from drinking hooch from morning till night with Franks.” 

Then Gibbs was there and Tony had actually hugged him, he’d been so happy to see him. That was probably his mistake. That was probably why Gibbs had left without saying goodbye. With that he swung one last time, hard enough to send the bag flying across the room.

Abby’s cry of “Way to go, Tony!” and McGee’s clapping while Special Agent Lee stood there with her mouth wide open brought Tony back to the here and now. Embarrassed by the attention he was garnering, Tony jerked off his gloves, storming off before anyone could ask what it was that had angered him so.

NCIS

Tony checked the dining room table, making sure the settings were just right and the candles ready to be lit. He had just started back toward the kitchen when his guest knocked on his door.

Ziva slipped inside, her face, still sore from the beating she’d taken, not looking any better than it had earlier. She looked at the table, her eyes signifying her approval. Moving to the kitchen area, she double-checked the display of ingredients, nodding her satisfaction as she took the apron that Tony held out for her. “You did not forget the oregano this time. Let the lesson begin.”

Under Ziva’s direction, Tony fixed their meal.

As it turned out, Ziva was an excellent cook. Shortly after Gibbs left, Tony finally, out of desperation, had taken Ziva up on her offer to cook him a meal. While waiting for her to dish it out he had fiddled around with her piano. It had been awhile and he was a little rusty, but as it turned out that he was a better pianist then she. So on alternating weeks she would instruct Tony in the art of cooking at his place or they would practice on the piano at her place.

Ziva set down her wine glass. One thing about Tony, he had great taste in wine. “The food was excellent,” she praised.

“Not bad,” Tony agreed.

Moving to get up, Ziva sank wearily down again, the wine on top of the pain killers making it difficult. Tony noticed as he cleaned off the table. “You feeling okay?”

“Just tired.”

“Well, you know the way to the bedroom.”

Once Tony finished clearing up the mess in the kitchen, he pulled a pillow and blanket out of the closet. That was the way it worked, Ziva got the bedroom and he got the couch. Tony supposed they could have shared the bed, it wouldn’t be the first time, but he refused to give into temptation. Leaving on his boxers and t-shirt, Tony slid under the covers, but he couldn’t seem to get to sleep. He hit his pillow and turned around trying to get comfortable. The fact that Gibbs had returned to help Ziva and had left without even saying good-bye to him still bothered him.

“You do realize that he only came because I needed him,” Ziva called softly from the bedroom door. “You do not.”

Tony let out a sigh, not bothering to look over the back of the couch, and did not reply knowing instinctively that she would not be there if he did. Who was Ziva to say whether Tony needed Gibbs or not?

http://www.squidge.org/peja/cgi-bin/viewstory.php?sid=30987


	2. Were Do We Go From Here? - Chapter 2- Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A former Petty Officer, convicted of murder, escapes from prison and forces F.B.I. Special Agent Fornell to reopen his case in order to find the real culprit whilst claiming his own innocence. Fornell asks for Gibbs' help, who is reinstated as an NCIS agent by Director Shepard. To his former team's disappointment, Gibbs insists that the reinstatement is only temporary. The team soon finds discrepancies in the Petty Officer's case and that he may have been framed.

Where Do We Go From Here?  
(Gibbs POV)  
Chapter 2-Escaped

 

Jenny was gone. Sitting alone in his basement, Gibbs had nothing better to do then think. His plan had been so simple. Sell the house and use the proceeds to fix himself a place down in Mexico. There was a reason he needed to go back there and build himself a little shack of his own. The same reason that kept him from staying in Washington D.C.

He’d lied when he told Jenny that he didn’t remember Serbia. He remembered all too well and every time he thought about that time, and all the other times he found himself remembering of late, it cut him to the quick. Shannon had been the love of his live. Her loss had left him bereft for a long while, until he’d managed to put her memory away. All the others that had followed had been pale imitations at best and looking back he was sure they sensed it. Any relationships he had formed had failed as a result. He had been so afraid of losing anyone that he had deliberately pushed those that were closest to him away. Cheating hadn’t mattered, at least not with his last two wives. Somehow deep inside, he always felt as if his actions made him unfaithful to Shannon’s memory and that of their daughter Kelly.

He simply could not stay. The mere thought of possibly getting involved again… After that little shitty ass stunt Jenny pulled on him, he knew there was no chance of that. How dare she pretend she wouldn’t reinstate him? Pull him in with the comment of validating his parking and then just happening to find the retirement package she claimed to have turned in four months previously. She had always been manipulative. She’d known just what to say, how to get him to reconsider. Damn her for knowing him so well. He knew she was attracted to him. Hell, he’d used that attractiveness against her on occasion. To have it turned back on him was a novel experience. The woman was positively wicked.

Not that he couldn’t be just as wicked. His calling Tony by McGee’s name was not a mistake on his part, though it might look so. Picking on Tony had always been one of the perks of the job.

The thing that rankled him the most was the thought that his gut feelings had let him down. If he had been so wrong about Ex-Petty Officer Derrick Paulson how many other cases had he been wrong about? At least he wasn’t the only one that had been fooled by Mickey Stokes, even Abby had been taken in by him.

Then there the conversation with Ducky that stood out clearly in his mind. It was obvious that Ducky was not happy with him, his body language had said as much, and that is why Gibbs had saved his visit with the medical examiner for last, wanting to avoid the conversation they’d had. Ducky may have felt betrayed that Gibbs hadn’t shared parts of his past with him, but in his own defense, Gibbs had by that time buried those memories and bringing them back up would have served no purpose. If Gibbs’ conscious was bothering him now it was mainly because Ducky was right about what he had said and how he’d said it. Gibbs could still hear the words in his head.

“I was wondering when you were going to come down and see me.”

“I’ve been busy.”

“Or avoiding me? I wonder why that could be.”

“I’m not staying.”

“I didn’t think you were. I’m aware that when Leroy Jethro Gibbs makes up his mind, his minds made up. So. Why are you here?”

“The Paulsen case. How much do you know?”

“Well I took the liberty of examining the ME’s reports on Paulsen’s two murdered accomplices.”

“Anything bug you?”

“It’s about as watertight a case as I’ve ever seen, pathologically speaking. Why? You suspect foul play in the foul play?”

“No.”

“Yet you’re down here asking me if anything bugs you about the case. Are you getting one of those famous gut instincts again?”

“I already had that and it said that Paulsen was guilty.”

“And when Leroy Jethro Gibbs makes up his mind, his minds made up. Too bad for Petty Officer Paulsen. Let’s hope things work out better for you in Mexico.”

Ducky had kept his distance during the conversation, staying on the far side of the room, and only getting up close and personal during his last sentence. Not quite in Gibbs’ face, but close. The bastard. Ducky would have to keep pointing out that he was obstinate, determined, and pig-headed, sometimes to the detriment of the case. 

Gibbs couldn’t help but think that if Shannon and Kelly were still alive his life would have been different. His whole demeanor would have been different. His approach in interrogations would have been more like the soft one he used on the guy who’d made the bug that he had found in Tony’s tape recorder. The one that got them the answer they needed. All it took was the magic word. Please.

Which brought him back to the fact that Jenny had been right as well. He was good, he could make a difference. If he did decide to stay it would have to be to correct any past errors. If he stayed. Abby would certainly be happy if he did. He really didn’t want to disappoint her. Every time he told her he wasn’t staying she had savagely hit her screensaver button, putting his face on all her various computer screens. 

On top of that it had felt good working with the team again. Being ‘the Boss’. Working with Tony. Tony was good. He was certainly coming along. Admittedly Tony had a different style. Using his cell phone to spy on his people was innovative to say the least. Gibbs, of course, had his own ways of finding out things. Ways he wasn’t about to share. Dropping hints, like the one about McGee’s teeth kept them on their toes. Made him seem omniscient. 

Tony had really looked good. Really good. Gibbs couldn’t believe where his mind was leading him. Him and Tony? Nah, Tony would never consider…or would he? Come to think of it, Tony had seemed really happy to see him. It was ridiculous. Gibbs had to stretch out his legs and adjust himself. Thinking about Tony was getting him hot and bothered. 

Gibbs began rubbing the cloth covering the bulge that was growing inside his pants leg as he thought more about it. It wasn’t as if he had never seen what Tony had to offer. First at Gitmo, when Tony had awakened to find an iguana in bed with him, that had scared the hell out of him and then again on M-tac when he and Ziva had pretended to be man and wife. The man was well-endowed. Plus Gibbs didn’t have anything against any man-on-man action. They had come across it on more than one occasion during their cases. So…why not? Damn, he didn’t even know if Tony would be amenable to it. Well, there was only one way to find out.

Gibbs rubbed his hand across his whiskered cheek; he could just picture the look on their faces when they showed up in the morning. If nothing else he would come back to do away with those stupid campfires of Tony’s. In fact he’d probably be doing Ziva a favor.

In any case, Gibbs wasn’t running anymore.

http://www.squidge.org/peja/cgi-bin/viewstory.php?sid=30817&textsize=0&chapter=2


	3. He Didn't Say Goodbye (Tony's POV) Chapter 3-Singled Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gibbs returns to NCIS and leads his team to investigate the kidnapping of a Navy Lieutenant, who is a computer specialist. They discover that the Lieutenant had used her military knowledge to profile potential husbands and was attending speed dating events. When they suspect that the kidnapper may continue attending the event in order to avoid suspicion, Ziva goes undercover at a speed-dating event to identify him. In addition, Tony is offered a promotion - his own team, as a reward for his performance as team leader while Gibbs was retired - but declines, and remains in Gibbs' team.

‘Go home and get some sleep’ she said. How could he? Here he had a chance of the lifetime, to lead his own team and he’d thrown it all away, just so he could continue working with Gibbs. And why? 

Tony decided to take the stairway down to the lobby, all the better to finish his conversation with himself. Gibbs was back and not just temporarily. Oddly enough Tony didn’t have a problem with it. He didn’t mind stepping down, even though he had gotten used to being in charge. He liked giving orders, making McGee and Ziva jump. The inescapable fact was that he wanted Gibbs in charge, he just couldn’t figure out why?

The excuses he’d given Jenny were flimsy at best. Puhlease. Sticking around just because Gibbs had called Ziva ‘Kate’? It was true though that he had put in a lot of time and effort into the undercover mission and he would certainly hate to have that go to waste. Enjoying the special rush he felt being undercover. Knowing that the Director trusted him enough for the job.

Pushing through the door at the bottom of the stairway, he flashed a smile as he tossed a casual salute to the guard. Fishing his keys from his pocket, Tony thought about how he wouldn’t have another chance for promotion anytime soon, but he couldn’t bring himself to regret it.

Approaching his car, he noticed Gibbs standing in the middle of the drive, turning one way then another.

“Something wrong, Boss?” Tony asked as he put his key into the lock.

Gibbs flashed him an uncertain smile as he continued to look around the dark lot. “Ah…I seem to have…um…misplaced my car.”

Tony froze. Gibbs didn’t sound like himself. Yet another sign that Gibbs was not all there. He looked around. There were too many cars, even at that time of night. They could search or...

“How about I take you home?” Tony asked, half expecting Gibbs to refuse.

Gibbs surprised at him however. “Thanks. I would appreciate it.”

The smile Gibbs gave him as he settled into the car spooked Tony. He still wasn’t used to seeing Gibbs so…mellow. He wanted the old Gibbs back. The impatient, bull-headed, gruff Gibbs.

They road in silence for a good while.

“You accepting the offer of going to Spain?” 

The question, out of left field, startled Tony. It was a good thing they were already stopped at a light, otherwise Tony would have run into the car in front of him. How did Gibbs know about that? The Director had promised to keep it between the two of them.

Gibbs was turned sideways; his blue eyes staring at him were wide with innocence. Gibbs innocent?

“Ah…er…” was all Tony managed to say.

“The light’s changed,” Gibbs nodded toward the windshield. “Since when did you start calling our Director Jenny?” 

Gibbs was staring at him again and once more Tony couldn’t think of anything else to say. The only time he addressed the Director like that was when they were in her office. 

“And how long have you been calling me Jethro?” Gibbs’ expression was one of simple curiosity. That stupid mustache distracting Tony from what Gibbs was saying.

A horn honking brought Tony back to reality and his eyes returned to watching the road. During Gibbs’ absence, he and the Director had developed a good working relationship. Every once in a while she would reminisce, comparing him to Gibbs. He was fairly certain that she was unaware of how much she did that. Once they started the clandestine mission she had dubbed ‘La Grenouille’, he’d taken to using Gibbs’ given name when they talked in private. It was something he still didn’t have the nerve to do to Gibbs’ face. 

How did Gibbs know? Tony considered. Gibbs could have managed to bribe Cynthia, something which had never worked for him. He quickly ruled that out. Suddenly it hit him. He stared at Gibbs. “The orchids. You sent them.”

Gibbs looked away, a smug smile playing on his lips, his mustache twitching, neither confirming nor denying the allegation. Tony couldn’t get over it. Had Gibbs bugged the Director’s office! It was the only possible explanation.

Gibbs lack of confirmation irritated Tony enough to warrant a change in subject. “I didn’t see you at Ducky’s graduation.” The pained look in Gibbs’ eyes made him wish he hadn’t. Surely Gibbs had been invited? Or had he deliberately decided not to attend? He knew Ducky was disappointed with Gibbs, the ME had made the point very clear on several occasions, but he wouldn’t have left Gibbs out on purpose. Ducky wasn’t that sort of man, he didn’t have a vindictive bone in his body.

Before Tony could think of a way to back himself out of the corner he’d put himself in, they had arrived at Gibbs’ place. The place looked the same, the ‘for sale’ sign that had graced the front yard gone.

“You want to come in. Have a drink…or something?” 

Tony hesitated. He wanted more then anything to say yes, but found the question asked softly, not at all like Gibbs of the past, disturbing. “Nah. I’ve got a boss who doesn’t put up with me being late.”

Gibbs chuckled, his hand on the door-catch, ready to exit the car. Halfway out, he turned back and leaned in. “Tony, I never told you how good a job you did keeping the team together while I was gone.” He shocked the hell out of Tony when he reached over, cupping the back of Tony’s neck, giving it a squeeze before backing away and heading toward his house.

Tony sat there watching Gibbs disappear inside. His hands shook slightly as he put the car into gear. For an instant he had thought Gibbs was going to pull him close and kiss him. His heart skipped a beat as he thought how he wouldn’t have minded. As much as Tony wanted that mustache of Gibbs gone, he found the thought of feeling it against his skin titillating. It had to have been his imagination. 

Tony drove back to his apartment, glad that he was wearing dress pants and not jeans that would have proven too tight. He adjusted himself as he drove home, for he knew once he got there he wouldn’t be able to sleep.


	4. Where Do We Go From Here (Gibbs POV) Chapter 4-Faking It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Petty Officer is found dead in his car with "NCIS" written in blood on the seat. The investigation becomes complicated when Homeland Security claims that the Russian Spy suspected of killing the officer is working for them.

Finally managing to stifle his amusement, Gibbs once again focused on his report. Instead of the incriminating information that Franks had lead everyone to believe was on the tape, music, reminding Gibbs of the cantina down in Mexico, floated out of the speaker. 

Fortunately for Franks, Gibbs was the only one aware that Franks had killed a man in cold blood. A fact that had Gibbs mentally cursing in Russian, wishing he was in some Mexican cantina downing a cold one instead of covering up for Mike. Going back to his report, Gibbs worked on how to word it so that no one else was aware of that. It was the least he could do for the man who had been his Boss. The victim, Kobatch, from all reports, had been more then deserving of being taken out. Even Mike had said the man was one scary SOB. Part of Gibbs understood the need to wipe the scum off the face of the earth, he’d felt the need himself a time or two. Yet another part of him knew Franks’ action to be flat-out wrong.

Shame they couldn’t have done something about Roy Carver. Gibbs was certain that Carver was the CIA agent responsible for the Sunburst file disappearing, but he knew he would never be able to prove it. Hell, he had thought Carver was the one who leaked Franks’ location, only to be proven wrong about that. 

The slamming of a drawer caught Gibbs’ attention. Looking up he found Tony seated at his desk, an open prescription bottle in his hand, preparing to swallow a couple of pills. Giving one last glance to his report, Gibbs hit ‘save’ and shut down his computer. He had been certain that Tony had left the bullpen to go home with all the others.

Gibbs frowned as he got up out of his chair and moved to Tony’s side watching him dry-swallow the pills. “Thought you said the hit on the head wasn’t that bad.” 

“Just a little headache. Nothing major. They gave me some pills for it.” Tony held up the bottle for Gibbs’ inspection.

‘Liar’ Gibbs thought; Tony’s eyes had shifted down and to the left. Tony had done the same thing when Gibbs had asked just how cozy he and Jenny had gotten while he was away. Tony had tried to distract him with some cock and bull story about not knowing what he was saying, not that it had worked. Gibbs had let it pass for the time being. 

Gibbs lifted Tony’s chin only to have Tony bat his hand away as Gibbs tried using his thumb to check the pupils of Tony’s eyes…again. Did they look a little dilated? Damn Franks, the ornery old cuss. Had he hit Tony harder then Tony had admitted? Tony wasn’t even aware that it was Franks who had hit him, that Franks had faked his own kidnapping. Secrets. Too many secrets.

“Come on, time to head out. It’s late,” Gibbs ordered, surreptitiously pocketing the bottle of pulls as he pulled a protesting Tony up by his underarm and shoved him toward the elevator. Tony moved well under his own steam until they were entering the elevator and he took a dip and sagged abruptly.

Gibbs moved quickly, supporting Tony while hitting the button that would take them to Ducky’s domain. This was not normal. The door opened just in time to catch Ducky, his coat on, hat in hand, waiting to board.

“Jethro! What appears to be the problem?” Ducky backed away to let them pass, as Gibbs hustled a now giggling Tony into the autopsy room. 

“Don’t know, Ducky. He complained of a headache. Took these,” Gibbs explained worriedly, holding up the bottle even as he settled Tony on one of the cold, metal tables. 

“Let’s have a look, shall we?” Ducky spoke calmly as he reached up and turned on the bright light over the table.

“Whoa!” Tony moved his arm to cover his eyes, his head turning from side-to-side, trying to avoid the bright light.

“Sorry. My patients don’t usually mind,” Ducky chuckled softly, shifting the light so it didn’t shine directly into Tony’s eyes. Locating his little penlight, Ducky hmmed aloud as he shone it in Tony’s eyes, first one and then the other. Straightening he held out his hand. “Let me see those pills, please?”

Handing over the bottle, Gibbs watched anxiously as Ducky, pouring a couple in his hand and studying them, shook his head and sighed. “How long ago did he take these and how many?”

“Just a few minutes ago and two I think. Is something wrong, Dr. Mallard?”

“No. Not really,” another sigh escaped. “It appears they have given him the wrong pills. These are a quite a bit stronger then what the label claims them to be.”

“Will they hurt him?”

“No. I doubt it. But he won’t be feeling any pain for a while,” Ducky assured him with a shrug. “One pill would have been more than enough, two however…”

“He can go home then?”

“I wouldn’t leave him alone, if that’s what you mean, Special Agent Gibbs.” Ducky removed his glasses, wiping them before returning them to his face while Gibbs tried his best to get Tony off the table and standing.

“Geeze, DiNozzo. You weigh a ton,” Gibbs grunted as they headed toward the door. Tony was heavier then he looked. Getting him to the car wasn’t easy. The problem was that Tony was swaying a bit, almost as if he’d had too much to drink. 

Gibbs finally pulled into his driveway. He looked over at Tony who had a sappy smile on his face and was humming some tune that Gibbs almost didn’t recognize. When he finally did, Gibbs shook his head and smiled ruefully. Mariachi music. No doubt another dig at him for running away to Mexico. Slinging Tony’s arm over his shoulder, Gibbs dragged Tony around to the back door of his house. 

Opening the door to his kitchen, Gibbs was appalled. The place was a mess. Pots and pans everywhere. How had he missed this when he’d returned earlier?

“I swear, Boss. I didn’t touch a thing.”

Gibbs eyes narrowed as he looked at Tony. Tony’s green eyes were focused looking directly into his. It appeared he was telling the truth. Suddenly they lost their clarity and Tony was sagging once again. Grunting under the weight, Gibbs managed to maneuver Tony down the hallway and into the guest bedroom. It too had been left in a state of untidiness, but Gibbs was pretty sure he knew whose fault that was. He had, after all, spent four months living with Franks and was well aware that the rumpled beds, as well as the scattered crumpled cigarette packs were his.

Tony was out for the count even before his head hit the pillow. Gently Gibbs lifted Tony’s legs onto the bed and slipped off his shoes as snores emerged from the slumbering man. A smile played across Gibbs’ face. It struck him as funny that a couple of pills could incapacitate his lead agent so suddenly. He reached out to brush back the hair that dangled down upon Tony’s forehead, only to pull his hand back guiltily. What was he thinking? Tony didn’t need any coddling. 

Leaving a wastebasket close to the bed just in case, Gibbs decided to change into shorts, planning to clean up the kitchen before heading down to the basement to work on his boat. His thoughts were jumbled as he hung his suit and put it neatly away. 

Upon his return from Mexico, Gibbs had found Tony to be more confident, more mature, more a take-charge kinda guy. Gibbs fingered his mustache and smiled remembering the times over the past couple of weeks they had caught themselves giving the same orders at the same time. Each time Tony had pulled back and let him take the lead. It had felt good to be back in charge, almost normal. There had been times though when he’d had to turn away, to swallow a smile and try to appear disgruntled when he felt anything but. Most of that side of Tony was gone from this case and he found he missed it.

In a way it was a shame that back was the womanizing, movie-quoting Tony, Gibbs thought as he pulled on his shorts. Still Tony had been the one to find Operation Sunburst, even if he hadn’t been able to retrieve the file. There was also the matter of him and Jenny. Not that Gibbs was jealous, but the pairing seemed so unlikely. Was something going on between them? Tony didn’t need to sleep his way to the top, besides Gibbs knew for a fact that he liked his women younger.

Gibbs stopped in the middle of pulling his shirt on, the sound of something crashing, coming from the direction of the guestroom, catching his attention. He was just in time to catch Tony blindly trying to find his way out of the bedroom and crashing into things. 

“Where do you think you’re going, DiNozzo?” Gibbs asked as he blocked Tony’s path.

Tony didn’t seem to have an answer to that and was looking at him as if trying to place him. Gibbs frowned, those pills must have been stronger then Ducky thought. Tony was swaying unsteadily on his feet, his unfocused eyes roaming the room questioningly, obviously wondering where he was. 

Placing one hand on Tony’s chest, Gibbs backed him into the room. “You’re not fit at the moment. Get back into bed, Tony,” he ordered softly.

Tony nodded as he stumbled backward, landing abruptly on the bed.

“Need some help getting out of your clothes?” Gibbs asked towering over Tony.

Tony looked down at his clothing as if surprised to see them. He shook his head ‘no’ and started unsteadily to unbutton his shirt. He was taking so long that Gibbs took pity on him and swiftly divested him of his shirt, pushing Tony back on the bed to facilitate getting his slacks off.

Tony wriggle around, giggling, as Gibbs tried to unzip his pants. It was a matter of minutes for Gibbs to maneuver them off and shift Tony on the bed and under the covers. He was startled speechless when Tony’s hand slipped over the side of the bed and tugged at his shorts.

“Wh..why you wear ‘em sooo baggy?” Tony slurred, his head tilted to one side as he looked up at Gibbs. His green eyes showed curiosity and nothing more. 

Gibbs’ breath caught as the hand began gliding up his inner thigh, underneath his shorts, making the hair on his legs stand up. He froze, not sure of what to do, as the hand touched the tip of his cock, teasing it. Tony beckoned him closer with a crocked finger. Gibbs lowered his head, wondering what was going on, as Tony reached up and gently stroked his mustache. 

The next thing Gibbs knew, Tony had risen slightly and he was being expertly kissed. Shocked he just stood there and let it happen. Suddenly Tony slipped away, his head falling back against the pillow. 

“Nice. But…but…like you better without,” Tony murmured as his eyes slowly closed and his other hand slid down Gibbs’ leg and dangled over the side of the bed.

His eyes wide, Gibbs stared down at the sleeping man. Had Tony, the man who bragged of all his conquests to anyone who would listen, just kissed him? The same Tony whose hand had just copped a feel? He backed away, unable to take his eyes off of Tony, wondering what the hell morning would bring.

http://www.squidge.org/peja/cgi-bin/viewstory.php?sid=30817&textsize=0&chapter=3


	5. He Didn't Say Goodbye (Tony's POV) Chapter 5  Dead and Unburied.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When a missing Lance Corporal is found dead in a vacant house, the NCIS team discovers that he was buried in the backyard and then exhumed. They learn about his identity and that he was to be deployed to Iraq, but he never showed up for duty. The investigation leads them to a new clue - he had two fiancées. Abby runs the DNA samples from the two women to find out if the DNA is a match to the soil found on the dead man's body.

Tony luxuriated under the hot stream of water. This was the first real chance he’d had to relax and really scrub away the remnants of the past case, rather then just grabbing a quick shower and getting back to work. When Gibbs was hot on a case there was never time for such amenities. Thank god this case was successfully solved. He tilted his head back as the water flowed over him. Lathering up his body, he watched the flow of suds as they trickled down his chest to his lower extremities and shuddered. 

He couldn’t resist cupping his testicles protectively as he tried to dispel the image of Lance Corporal Finn’s body. Tony had been unable to resist going down to autopsy to see for himself what it was about Finn that had two…no three women hot for his bod. He’d taken one look at what was left of the guy’s package and wanted to puke. Ducky’s amused statement that ‘Sadly the first thing the maggots eat is the soft tissue’ hadn’t helped either. 

They had worked some strange cases during their time, but this one was not only strange it was creepy. Man dies, man buried, man dug up. Finding a dead guy while showing a house had to be one for the books, Tony pondered as he ran the washcloth over his upper arms. Especially since the realtor was the one responsible for the man’s death. Hadn’t she ever wondered what had become of the body? Not to mention her husband burying it, then digging it up again. And all for money. 

There had been other strange things during this case. Turning so that the water rinsed the suds off his chest, Tony couldn’t help but wonder what was up with Palmer. The autopsy gremlin was getting friendly and way too touchy-feely lately. Tony laughed as he thought how Gibbs would have acted had Palmer done that to him, not that Palmer would have the nerve. Not with the old Gibbs. 

The old Gibbs was back, according to McGee, and Tony felt all was right in the world. Giving up team leadership had been the right thing to do. In fact, his and McGee’s relationship, which had been strained, was showing signs of improvement. Despite Tony’s remark comparing their time together during the case to Brokeback Mountain, he wasn’t attracted to McGee sexually. He thought of him more as a brother…one that he never had. Tony fought back a chuckle; McGee’s comeback on that comment had been funny. ‘He had me at Howdy.’ 

True they fought and bickered, but McGee was showing more confidence in his abilities other then his computer skills. He was certainly more inclined to speak his mind. Using the washcloth to get his back, Tony thoughts went to wondering where the Probie was getting the money to buy all the new items lately. Not that he was complaining, that new cell phone of his had certainly come in handy for taping the chick fight. Tony couldn’t resist grinning at the memory.

Bending over, Tony ran the washcloth over his lower leg, and leaned against the shower wall to get his feet before running the cloth up his muscular thighs. He brought it up between his legs, gently fondling himself, his dick elongating and becoming a little hard at his touch. He pondered idly about the funny looks Gibbs had been giving him lately. Smiling as if he was happy to see him. Talk about scary. Something tickled at the edge of Tony’s memory, then slipped away. He had a feeling he was missing something, he just didn’t know what. 

A while back Tony had been hit over the head, during a case involving Gibbs’ old boss, which had left him with a searing headache. He distinctly remembered taking the pills the emergency tech had given him, but not much else after that. At least nothing, except for a bright light that had shown in his face. Waking up the next morning to find himself in Gibbs’ guest bedroom had been disconcerting to say the least, even if it wasn’t his first time there. Eventually he’d managed to locate Gibbs working on his boat in the basement. No surprise there. The surprise had been that Gibbs was clean shaven, no more mustache. That however had been the first time he’d noticed Gibbs giving him ‘the look’.

He shook his head and reached for the shampoo only to be interrupted by a faint ringing sound. Tony turned the knobs, stopping the flow of water and tilted his head listening. The insistent ringing continued and he traced the sound to the doorbell. Who the hell could it be? Irritated at having his shower interrupted Tony grabbed a towel, wrapping it around his waist. 

Dripping water on the carpet as he stalked through his apartment, Tony stopped, breathing deeply to get his irritation under control before he checked the peep-hole. Not helpful as it turned out, the back of someone’s jacket was all that could be seen. It wasn’t until the person moved off, heading away down the hallway and he caught sight of the graying head of hair, that he realized who his visitor was. Licking his lips, Tony threw open the door without any regard for his clothing or lack thereof. 

“Hey, Boss!”

Gibbs halted, turned around, and ambled back down the hallway toward Tony’s door. Tony’s breath caught. Gibbs was giving him that look again. The one that said Tony had his whole undivided attention, making Tony extremely nervous. Gibbs gaze raked over Tony, top to bottom and his smile grew even more…sinister. 

“Going to let me in, DiNozzo?”

Gibbs had stopped inches from where Tony was standing frozen in place. Gibbs could be very intimidating when he did that, those blue eyes boring into his, but Tony wasn’t in the mood to be intimidated. He straightened his shoulders and backed up, unblocking the doorway.

“Sure, Boss. Something I can do for you?” Tony moved back into the room. 

“Got any coffee?” Gibbs eyes’ were roaming around the room, as if he’d never been there before. 

Tony shook his head and headed toward the kitchen area, he should have known. His mind was racing, mentally reviewing his report on the case, as he pulled the coffee from the cabinet and set about fixing a pot. It had to be something related to the case to get Gibbs at his door, he thought while he added the suggested amount of coffee and then added an extra scoop.

“Did you know that Palmer and what’s-her-name…Lee…have been making out in autopsy?”

Tony dropped one of the cups, breaking it, at the question from out of the blue. Palmer and Lee? Kinky in a weird sort of way. It would explain Palmer’s good humor lately. Getting another cup it occurred to him that he shouldn’t be surprised. Nothing got by Gibbs. In a way that was a good thing, it meant the old Gibbs was most definitely back. But what would Gibbs do about it? There was Gibbs’ rule 12 to consider. Would the fact that they were in different departments apply? 

“Does Ducky know?”

Gibbs took the cup from him and shrugged. He stared at the liquid in the cup. “What is it with women? Why would two women let Finn move in and give money to a man they barely knew?”

Another question out of the blue. So much for the old Gibbs. “You’re asking the wrong person, Boss.” 

Gibbs began pacing the room. “I asked Jen.”

“And?”

“She said he took advantage of them. That if you were in a relationship and the other person was keeping secrets how would you know?”

Gibbs seemed upset by this, which puzzled Tony. 

“Then she compared me…me, to Finn. Said I lied to her.”

“Lied to her about what?”

“About Shannon and Kelly.”

“I wouldn’t consider that lying. It’s not like you kept it a secret from just her, as far as I know you hadn’t told anyone.”

“Right!” Gibbs stopped in front of him, those blue eyes pleading. “Why can’t women be more like…you.”

For some reason that confession caused Tony’s cock to twitch, reminding him of his state of undress. “Ahmm, let me get some clothes on.”

Tony made a fast get-a-way, wondering what the world his dick was trying to tell him. He rummaged through his dresser drawers; he really needed to do his laundry, and pulled out a pair of red bikini underwear.

“You don’t have anything…baggy?”

The question, coming from Gibbs, whom he hadn’t known had followed him, startled Tony and the red underwear fell to the floor. Then in a flash it came back, the memory that he’d thought it a dream. His hand sliding up Gibbs’ leg, feeling the hairs on it. His fingers coming into contact with the head of Gibbs’ cock. The memory of the smooth, silky head having an effect on him that brought a blush to his face. He looked into the mirror, seeing the guileless look on Gibbs face.

“Boss…I…ah,” Tony stammered, searching for some excuse, any excuse, to explain his actions. “I…ah…it must have been the medication.”

Gibbs seemed to get taller as he looked over Tony’s shoulder and downward at the obvious tent in the towel. “You’re not on medication now.”

One pluck of Gibbs’ fingers and the towel drifted downward leaving Tony’s wants and desire exposed. He closed his eyes waiting for the hateful words that were sure to follow. Silence met Tony’s ears and he could only think that Gibbs had left the apartment in disgust. He opened his eyes. His mouth gaped open as in the mirror he watched his boss, the man he admired most, standing beside his bed slowly unbuttoning his shirt. Gibbs’ ever-present white t-shirt went over his head and Gibbs was giving him that ‘look’ again. 

“Boss?” the word came out a whisper.

“Call me Jethro.”


	6. Where Do We Go From Here? (Gibbs POV) Chapter 6-Witch Hunt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Halloween and the NCIS team is busy investigating a ransom case. A Marine's daughter has been kidnapped after the kidnapper attacked the Marine in his home. The investigation leads them to a fact that the couple has been separated. They decide to focus on the wife's ex-boyfriend, after learning that the woman is the one who destroyed their marriage. Meanwhile, McGee and Tony are stunned by Abby's Halloween costume.

Gibbs looked down from his vantage point on the upper level, alone and aloof. The perfect spot to watch and still remain apart. It wouldn’t do to let the others know how much this case had affected him. His eyes followed Abby, still dressed in the blonde wig and white dress associated with Marilyn Monroe, as she escorted Sara Niles, their young kidnap victim, around the office collecting treats. The enthusiastic responses she received from NCIS employees in their effort to make up for the Trick-or-Treating the little girl had missed the night before was reflected by the look of happiness on her face. 

A lot had happened during that night. Gibbs thought back to his promise to Mrs. Niles, Laurie, that he would return her daughter to her and felt proud that he had been able to keep that promise. It made up in a small way for the fact that he hadn’t been able to be there for his own child, but even though serving his country in Desert Storm had been important to him not being there was something that had haunted him all these years.

His attention was brought back to earth as he eavesdropped on Laurie thanking Tony for arranging all this for her daughter and he had to agree. It was *nice* of Tony and something that Gibbs had not thought to do.

Unbidden images of his daughter caught him unaware and memories of the last Halloween that they had shared flashed through his mind. His head dropped and he smiled, for the first time the memories of his daughter and of all he had lost not bringing any pain. 

It had been one hell of a long Halloween night. Reflecting back Gibbs thought it was amazing that they had completed the case all in one night. It had been strange case, starting with General Custer being shot and finding a dead John Doe dressed like a skeleton in the man’s living room. Not to mention the various ninjas, zombies, a talking vegetable and a Klingon they’d had to interview along the way. Gibbs had to laugh at the thought of Ducky chasing down two young ninjas who had made the mistake of throwing eggs at his windshield, three blocks and catching them, proving yet again that the medical examiner was someone to be reckoned with. 

Tracking Tony with his eyes, Gibbs watched him as he flitted around the bullpen. Had it only been two weeks that Tony had taken pain pills dispensed by mistake after Franks had knocked him on the head? He scowled remembering how out of it Tony had been. Too strung out to remember touching Gibbs in way that ignited a bodily response he had not been sure of how to deal with. He still wasn’t. Gibbs straightened, determined to keep his mind back on the case just finished. Something safe.

Abby! Should he tell Abby that she had done a great job on this case with a little help from McGee? They made a great team. Gibbs couldn’t help snorting though as he thought she might have done better to wear something other than her Halloween costume, seeing that it distracted the younger men. He’d had to head slap both Tony and McGee to get their attention. 

Perhaps it shouldn’t have surprised him that McGee could speak Klingon, but it had. Gibbs was fairly proficient in a few languages, but Klingon was not one of them. McGee, with his fuzzy blue costume, his knowledge of robas, and of Klingon, was turning into one hell of a fine investigator. 

Gibbs was well aware that it was McGee who brought attention to the tread marks on the pumpkin shell that led to Abby’s expertise getting them the driver’s license plate number. It was Abby’s hard work, however, that got them the ID of their dead skeleton, leading them to Kapp and Associates, the law firm that employed both him and surprise, surprise Laurie. That had turned the whole case around. 

He shook his head in disgust. To think he had wasted precious time interrogating a costumed Klingon. Everything had pointed to Robert Miller, an old boyfriend of Laurie Niles, as the person behind the kidnapping. All the clues, such as the lack of men’s clothing in the closet leading to the wife’s confession, a confession she’d reluctantly made. First Staff Sergeant Eric Niles had filed for separation upon learning that Miller was filing suit claiming that Sara was his daughter. That and finding the car that had been used in the kidnapping sitting in front of Miller’s house pointed directly to him. 

Now Ziva, on the other hand, had proven somewhat of a disappointment. With all her knowledge of languages, she hadn’t known the Japanese word for car or that scuttlebutt meant gossip? Her letting the wife and the women claiming to be her sister get away was definitely a screw-up. Gibbs started to shake his head. He shouldn’t be too hard on her. He’d been just as surprised to find out that Mrs. Niles didn’t have a sister. He should have suspected, the clues were all there. Ziva had been right; Mrs. Niles had been keeping something back. She had known it was a kidnapping the moment she heard that her daughter was missing. He’d even noticed that Laurie Niles had rejected her supposed sister’s touch and he had thought nothing of it.

The night as well as the case had ended in the early hours of this morning with one bad guy dead and a catfight between the two women. This was the second case in as many weeks involving women fighting. He never had understand women and after the case of the Lance Corporal that had been buried and unburied he gone to Jenny, when he hadn’t managed to get a clear answer from her Gibbs decided to track down the medical examiner in autopsy and see what he had to say on the subject. 

Most of the lights in autopsy were out and there was no sign of Ducky. Gibbs had been on the point of leaving when he heard these strange… sounds. He moved a little closer, not quite close enough to activate the glass-paneled door and spotted Palmer and Lee groping each other on the floor. To say it took him by surprise was an understatement. Lee he didn’t know well, but she’d struck him as the shy, retiring type. Palmer, now Palmer had always struck him as being two cents short in the romance department. Judging by the sounds coming from Lee he was knowledgeable enough.

He had backed away, leaving the two of them in peace. Now he supposed he could have just gone home and puzzled his lack of understanding there, but something had led him to Tony’s. Not that he thought Tony would have an answer as to why two women would give money to a man they had barely known either. However he had heard that Tony had gone down to autopsy to check out a potential possibility. 

As it turned out that was just the beginning of a night of surprises. Beginning with Tony answering his door wearing nothing but a towel and it went on from there. They had ended up in Tony’s bedroom. The towel had ended up on the floor and Tony was looking at him through the mirror as if he was afraid of Gibbs’ reaction. Gibbs had thought he had read all the signs right. Evidently, he wasn’t any better at reading men then he was women.

Gibbs had stood behind Tony and watched his face reflected in the mirror. Just what was going through DiNozzo’s mind? The expression of shock on Tony’s face was almost too easy for Gibbs to read. “I’m not homophobic. You should know that by now.” They’d worked on too many cases involving men who liked men. If Gibbs had a problem with it, he would have done or said something at the time. 

Gibbs hadn’t been able to resist running one finger down Tony’s bare back while he used his other hand to rub himself through his pants. Damn, ever since Tony had fondled his privates, Gibbs had been horny as hell. Having to separate a couple of girls having a catfight had only served to exasperate the problem. 

“What exactly do you have in mind?” Tony asked, looking directly into the mirror over the dresser.

Gibbs had never seen Tony so uncertain before. He blinked and looked down at the bulge in his slacks, then over Tony’s shoulder again.

“I kinda thought it was obvious. After all you did answer the door wearing only a towel.”

“I was taking a shower!” 

“Oh!” On tiptoes, Gibbs had looked over Tony’s shoulder again, his eyes traveling to Tony’s very evident erection. “That still doesn’t explain that. What was it your frat brothers used to call you? Sex Machine?” Gibbs whispered in Tony’s ear.

Tony’s green eyes glared back at him through the mirror. “What is it? I have fag written across my forehead or something?”

The venom in Tony’s tone had startled Gibbs and had him stepping back, his knees caught on the edge on the edge of Tony’s bed, forcing him to sit.

“No. But you did have a ‘fuck me’ look to you standing in the doorway, wearing only a towel.” Gibbs hadn’t been able to resist tossing out lightly and instantly regretted the words even if they were true.

Tony face turned red with embarrassment. “Let me guess. When you were stationed overseas, you had no problems finding someone to suck cock. Whatever happened to Rule 12?”

Tony was pacing back and forth in front of the dresser. Gibbs watched with fascination as his erect cock weaved side to side like a metronome. It wasn’t until Tony stopped directly in front of him that Gibbs realized a question had been asked. 

“Are you?” Gibbs managed to bring his eyes up to Tony’s face. There was confusion there until Tony realized Gibbs was answering a question he hadn’t asked.

“Why are you asking that *now*?” Tony’s face was comical in its exasperation. “Are you?”

Gibbs wasn’t sure how to answer that. To the best of his knowledge, men weren’t high on his list of desires. At least until now. His eyes drawn back to the cock that was staring him in the face and his mouth watered. 

“Ever suck cock…Jethro?” Tony wagging the aforementioned appendage in his face.

Gibbs’ eyes reluctantly left the object waving in front of him. “Ah…no.” Jerking off with a couple of guys in his outfit had been the closest he’d gotten to that sort of thing. He’d had a wife and child back home waiting for him and the thought had never occurred to either him or his buddies to take it a step further. If they had been doing things like that, they’d made sure he wasn’t aware of it. 

“I thought not.” Tony sighed. “Can’t imagine why you’re interested now, but since you are… Take off the rest of your clothes.”

Eagerly Gibbs had done as ordered and found himself pushed down on Tony’s bed, his cock clasped in Tony’s hand. Tony was lying on his side, next to him and Gibbs, more from instinct than anything else, reached for Tony’s cock. As Tony stroked him, Gibbs returned the favor. 

God, Tony’s hand had felt so good, sliding up and down on his shaft. It was much, much better than using his own hand. He’d known there was no way he was going to last long. His breathing got heavy; he squeezed his eyes shut as his own hand faltered in working Tony’s cock. Gibbs felt his orgasm nearing as his testicles tightened, and his rear rose off the bed as spurt after spurt of fluid shot out of him at a rate he thought impossible. 

“Wow! Just how long has it been?” Tony had looked with admiration down at him. Gibbs couldn’t remember the last time he’d gotten off, or having let loose so many loads. There had to have been at least six. The most he’d ever done was four. Exhaustion came over him and Gibbs didn’t really remember much after that. Just Tony wiping him down, sliding into the bed, wrapping around him and covering him up. The next morning he’d awakened, finding a hot cup of coffee on the bedside table along with a note saying ‘I’ll see you at work’.

But that was last week and this was now. Gibbs looked over the rail and tracked Tony down. “DiNozzo!” he called out.

“Yeah, Boss?” Tony looked up.

Gibbs jerked his head, indicating he wanted Tony to come up to where he was. Tony wasted no time and was on his way, his eagerness reminding Gibbs of a puppy coming when called. When he was two-thirds of the way up Gibbs asked, “Wanna go Trick or Treating at my place?”

Tony’s dazzling smile was all the response Gibbs needed.


	7. He Didn't Say Goodbye (Tony's POV) Chapter 7-Sandblast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When a Marine Colonel dies in an explosion at a military golf course, the NCIS team must investigate a suspected terrorist attack with the help from the Army Criminal Investigative Division (CID). The CIA gives them a lead to an abandoned warehouse, but it turns out to be a trap - the warehouse is set to explode. McGee uses his computer skills to break into the secret government files to uncover the terrorist cell while Tony attempts to stop the Marine Colonel's son from joining the Marines to avenge his father's death.

Tony ran his hand over the smooth varnished wood of Gibbs’ boat. He was here, in Gibbs’ basement, to give a follow-up report. A report on a case that still had more questions then answers. One might have thought it a strange place to make a report, but when Gibbs was frustrated or obsessed this was the best place to find him. Gibbs sat, wearing an old t-shirt and the faded jeans that Tony had grown to love, at the back of the boat in deep concentration as he put the final touches on the name. 

To say Gibbs was frustrated would be an understatement. The case had not finished to his satisfaction. It would be ongoing for sometime and in the meantime there would always be other cases needing their expertise. A Marine Colonel, Frederick Cooper, had been blasted to pieces on a golf course and in the presence of his son Josh the day before he was to be deployed, and everything pointed to it being a terrorist attack. Terrorists that were still out there somewhere. The old Gibbs would have obsessed over this case until they were caught. Tony wasn’t sure about *this* Gibbs.

Knowing better then to disturb Gibbs as he worked, Tony’s thoughts drifted to the day after Halloween, which seemed like a lifetime away. Gibbs standing at the top of the stairway leading to M-TAC inviting Tony to his place for Trick-or-Treat; he hadn’t known what to expect when Gibbs invited him but whatever it was he didn’t get it. Or maybe he did and it was actually a trick. After all, their first time had been at his apartment and basically ended up being nothing more than a mutual jerk-off session. One he was sure Gibbs had enjoyed. Maybe he’d just wanted Gibbs to tear off his clothing and…Tony let out a sigh as his thoughts returned to the present. This was getting him nowhere. 

Tony glanced at Gibbs. While waiting for an opportune time to interrupt, Tony roamed the room, careful not to disturb anything and let his thoughts go back to that day. The day after Halloween. They had arrived at Gibbs’ house in separate cars as soon as they’d been able to get away. Gibbs then led him into the guest bedroom and began to undress. He’d been puzzled by that and asked. The flush on Gibbs’ face gave no clue; Gibbs muttered something about a return to the scene-of-the-crime so to speak. Tony ignored him and quickly shed his own clothing. 

Then Gibbs had just stood there, leaving Tony to take the lead, initiating each and every movement. That was fine as far as it went. The lack of reciprocation was a little disappointing, but Tony was willing to live with it. Due to Gibbs’ reticence, they merely repeated their earlier performance. As far as Tony was concerned a mutual hand-job was better then nothing. Gibbs was somewhat timid, which surprised Tony. Like the last time the results were electrifying, and afterwards Tony slipped into a slight doze. 

Later as Tony was lying there alone, the after-sex glow having faded, he decided to go looking for Gibbs. Tony was ready for round two. Not bothering to dress he checked the master bedroom, thinking perhaps Gibbs had decided that staying in the same room after what they had done was too much. Not finding Gibbs there he continued his search and eventually found Gibbs in the basement working hard on the boat. 

It hadn’t taken long to find out that Gibbs found sawdust a turn-on. Tony got a much better response from Gibbs as he helped him work on the boat. While Gibbs worked on the boat, Tony worked on Gibbs. Relieving Gibbs of his clothing piece-by-piece, starting with his shoes, then his shirt, running his hands over the strong back and around the front, he managed to get Gibbs to forget what he was doing a time or two. Tony got to touch, stroke, and take advantage of whatever he liked. Well almost everything. There were certain areas that Gibbs put off-limits and Tony was okay with that. Despite what Gibbs thought, Tony’s experience wasn’t much more then what Gibbs allowed and as he licked and sucked Tony found the taste of Gibbs to be quite intoxicating. Tony smiled remembering how in between rounds they worked on the boat. Together he and Gibbs had spent a lot of time getting the boat this far. 

A throat clearing brought Tony’s thoughts back to the present and he watched as Gibbs tilted his head, squinting, studying the finished product. 

“Kelly. Appropriate.” Tony remarked. All indications pointed to this meeting being strictly business with the possibility of all future meetings being the same.

Gibbs grunted. “Anything new to report?”

“Nothing yet.” Having spent three hours interviewing Abraham, Tony found there were still too many unanswered questions. Was Abraham really a dupe, as mentally challenged as he looked? Abraham said that Sharif had given him the backpack an hour previously, but Mamoun Sharif’s body was in autopsy then. Was Sharif really dead? Was Josh Cooper somehow involved? It didn’t seem likely; Tony had been with the boy when the call came. 

Tony brooded as he remembered that he had promised Josh he would find the person who had taken the life of Marine Col. Frederick Cooper. He was going to do his best to do so. He wasn’t sure why he felt it necessary, maybe he was turning into Gibbs. Unfortunately his special, secret assignment was interfering with his case. To think he’d told his coffee shop date while he helped her study for her exam that he hadn’t found the right girl. Only half true, since he thought he’d found the right *man*. That was before he caught the looks Gibbs and Army Lt. Col. Hollis Mann, had exchanged. Maybe Ziva was correct and Gibbs had met his fourth ex-wife.

“Tony! DiNozzo!”

His name sharply spoken, as well as the swat on the back of his head, brought Tony out of his reverie. Gibbs was looking at him exasperatedly. He’d obviously called Tony’s name more then once.

“Yeah, Boss?” Tony took in a deep breath in preparation for what he knew Gibbs was about to tell him.

Gibbs crooked a finger, motioning him closer. Reluctantly Tony squatted down next to him.

“I wanted you to know that I was aware of the trick you used on the golf course. The one with the grass. I know that I don’t often tell you that you’ve done good job. I also know there is something going on that you’re not telling me.”

Damn, he should have known that Gibbs would ferret out information about La Grenouille. Tony had no choice; he was under orders and had to deny it. 

Gibbs raised his hand, stopping Tony before he could say anything. “I understand. I’m not in the loop. I don’t like it…but I understand.” He took a final look at the boat. “I am sorry I’m not as…demonstrative…as you’d like.”

Here it comes, Tony thought.

Gibbs stopped, resting his forearms upon his thighs. Tony couldn’t resist watching Gibbs face as he bit down on his lower lip. “You have to understand, Tony. When I was your age guys didn’t do what…” Gibbs looked at him and motioned between the two of them. “…we’ve been doing. If they did it led to a lot of…trouble.”

Tony closed his eyes. This was it. The kiss-off.

“I can’t change how I think, Tony. Sooo. I’ve been thinking.” Gibbs paused. “Mann might make a good cover…until I can get my mind wrapped around…us.”

Tony opened his eyes wide. This was not what he expected. Gibbs was looking at him hopefully. What could he say? 

“Whatever it takes, Boss.”


	8. Where Do We Go From Here? (Gibbs POV) Chapter 8-Once A Hero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When an honored Marine veteran is found dead in a hotel, the NCIS team must find out what happened to him. Soon they realize that the Marine didn't commit suicide and that he was homeless. After going through his personal belongings, they find compromising evidence against him, and Gibbs is determined to prove the man's innocence.

Gibbs walked wearily through his house, not bothering to turn on the lights. The image of the scared faces of the underage oriental girls, held captive in the back of a truck, played over and over in his head. Into the bedroom, on toward the bath, shedding clothing as he went. Toeing off first one shoe, then the other leaving them scattered by the bed, his jacket thrown on the bed with pants following, both set aside for dry-cleaning. Shirt, t-shirt, boxers and socks tossed into the basket for washing. Shower on, then, in a state of total nudity, a trip back to the kitchen to get some coffee percolating. 

Back to the shower, soap up the body and try to wash away the memories of this last case. Sgt. Brian Wright had fallen to his death at a high-profile reception held in honor of the retiring Secretary of Defense. Gibbs had been more than happy that he wasn’t included as part of the team protecting Director Jenny Shepard; he hated politicians with their double talk. He had a feeling that Jenny had purposely left him out for that very reason. 

It was suggested that Wright was crazy and had jumped, until a second body was found. That one was a young Chinese girl, no more than fourteen years of age according to Ducky’s estimate. The evidence, his saliva found on her cheek, his prints on the keycard found at the murder scene, all pointed directly to the sergeant as being the person responsible for her death. As he soaped the back of his neck, Gibbs supposed it wasn’t so hard to believe. Ziva certainly had, so had Tony for that matter, but deep down in his gut Gibbs had felt it wasn’t true.

Gibbs disliked it when one of his own, and that included fellow Marines, were accused of less than honorable acts. He wasn’t so naive as to believe that no Marine ever went bad, but as Ducky so aptly stated, “The man was a Hero.” Damn right he was, Gibbs’ thought, as he ran the washcloth down his chest watching the suds flow down his body. 

Wright, a Marine veteran and Bronze Metal and Purple Heart recipient, down on his luck and homeless, had been staying at the hotel, thanks to a fellow former Marine, in one of the rooms shut down for maintenance. Luis Romero, recently discharged and now working maintenance at the hotel had served in the same unit with Wright three years ago, and hadn’t seen any harm in it, Semper Fi and all. 

Bending over to wash first his right leg, then the left, Gibbs decided it was a good thing that Abby had managed to prove that Wright wasn’t responsible for the girl’s death. That combined with McGee’s questioning why there had been no food in Wright’s stomach even though a tray containing a half-eaten plate of food had been found in his room. Matching that inconsistency along with the fact that the stain on the begging note found on Wright’s body fit perfectly beneath the plate augmented the supposition that he’d tried CPR on her, explaining the saliva and bruises to the sternum. McGee’s remark was prophetic. “Once a hero always a hero.” Wright had remained one right up until the end, trying unsuccessfully to save a young girl from a sex-trader.

At least this case had ended successfully, with the rescue of dozens of young girls thanks to efforts of Special Agent Michelle Lee. The kid had more guts than Gibbs had given her credit for. She’d done a great job and Gibbs was almost sorry there was no room for her on the team. Chuckling while soaping his genitals, Gibbs wondered if he should tip Ducky as to Lee and Palmer’s current relationship. 

Turning around, rinsing off, and grabbing a towel to dry off Gibbs retrieved a clean pair of boxers, a loose pair of jeans and long-sleeve t-shirt from his dresser, slipping them on. The smell of fresh coffee had him padding barefoot toward the kitchen. Leaning against the counter after pouring his cup, Gibbs stared at the door to his basement. Reluctantly he set down his cup and flicked on the light switch before opening the door. Leaning on the railing and looking down from the top of the stairway, he watched the lights playing off the newly finished hull. The ‘Kelly’. What was he going to do with it? Certainly not burn it, as he had the three previous ones before it. That would not do justice to his daughter’s memory. How was he going to get it out of the basement?

Gibbs looked down with pride upon the boat once again. He’d never have gotten as far as fast if it weren’t for Tony’s help. Tony as it turned out was very good with his hands. He wasn’t too bad with his mouth either, as Gibbs could attest to. 

Turning his back on the boat and leaning heavily against the railing, Gibbs wondered what he was going to do about Tony. It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy what he and Tony did together. That was part of the problem, he enjoyed it too much. It just wasn’t…right. Sometimes at work, it was just so tough…Tony only had to smile and Gibbs would start to get hard. Gibbs was having to work more closely with McGee just to maintain control over himself. Gibbs was glad he’d lost a little weight while he was in Mexico, otherwise the hardness that sometimes occurred at the most inopportune times would have been readily apparent, and he had no idea how to explain it away. Ziva, he was sure would have made some remark on it. 

Gibbs was well aware that something was going on in Tony’s private life besides them. Tony’s excessive tiredness, eating a lot more then usual, and going off for hours at a time using the flimsiest of excuses. Burning the candle at both ends, perhaps? He was even aware of Tony’s second cell phone. Rumor had it Tony was seeing someone and Gibbs had first thought that Tony was using it as a cover for them. Now he wasn’t so sure. Whoever she was, she had to be beautiful, of that Gibbs was certain.

In a way Gibbs was relieved, Tony was after all a young man with natural desires. He deserved more than just a broken-down ex-Marine. Besides Tony was more important to him as an agent and not as a…lover.

He shivered as he remembered the times that Tony would, after they’d been working on the boat for an hour or so, sneak up behind him as he sanded. He could still feel Tony’s hands as they had glided up and down his back. 

It seemed the harder Gibbs continued working on the boat, doing his best to ignore Tony’s touches, the harder Tony worked to get his attention. Tony’s hands roaming, sliding up under Gibbs’ t-shirt, combing fingers through his chest hair, pinching nipples until Gibbs had no choice but to gasp at the pleasure. It had never occurred to Gibbs that his nipples were so erogenous. At the time he’d thought that only women were affected that way. 

The memory of Tony’s laughter rang in his ear, almost as if Tony knew his thoughts, knowing for certain that he was tormenting Gibbs. Tony pulling Gibbs shirt off over his head, then raking his nails down Gibbs back sending shivers through his body. Just when Gibbs returned back to working on the boat Tony would up the ante, button slipping through buttonhole, zipper sliding downward, jeans and boxers pushed down to the floor.

Somehow Tony would manage to rid himself of his own clothing. Plaster his body against Gibbs’ back, munching on one of Gibbs' earlobes. Gibbs had somehow managed to avoid letting Tony kiss him. That would never do, lord help Tony if he ever tried. Tony’s hands on Gibbs’ rump massaging the twin buns. Whenever Tony’s fingers began to wonder to places Gibbs felt should best be left alone, Gibbs would turn around presenting Tony with something else to work with. Watching Tony sink to his knees and take him in his mouth, just the thought had Gibbs’ cock aching for attention.

Gibbs couldn’t bring himself to return the favor and deep down he wanted to …badly. It was strange, he had nothing against man sex, but for some reason he couldn’t bring himself to be an active participant. Oddly enough in the beginning at Tony’s place, Tony seemed to have the same problem but he managed to overcome it. Boy, had he managed to overcome it. If only Gibbs could rid himself of his desires. Until recently it wasn’t something he’d planned to do, nor something he thought he wanted. 

Gibbs thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of his phone. Pushing away from the railing he went back to the kitchen and picked up and took a sip of his now cold cup of coffee. Grimacing at the bitter taste, Gibbs barked into the phone, “Yeah.”

“Boss?”

Tony! Wishing he had caller ID installed on his kitchen phone, Gibbs growled. “What do you want, DiNozzo?”

“Thought you might like a little company.”

Gibbs closed his eyes. Now would be a good time to end it. Set Tony free, so he could pursue a normal relationship. Gibbs licked his lips, mentally working up how he would say it. He opened his mouth.

“Sure, Tony. When can you get here?”


	9. He Didn't Say Goodbye (Tony's POV) Chapter 9-Twisted Sister

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When McGee's younger sister Sarah shows up disoriented and bloodied, believing that she might have killed someone at his door in the middle of the night, McGee takes matters into his hands, beginning his own independent investigation but Sarah claims she's innocent although her memory of the last few hours is blank. While McGee works on figuring out what happened to his sister, the NCIS team is investigating a case of a Navy sailor, who is somehow connected to McGee's sister. Both Tony and Abby are busy with love problems, while McGee turns out to have another secret.

Tony sank onto his decadently soft sofa, Coltrane playing sadly and melodiously in the background, and rested his head against the sofa’s back. For once he was alone and glad of it. Everything was catching up with him. He should not have gone to Jenny about his problem; that much was evident now. The Director cut him some slack, giving him time to be alone with Jeanne. Somehow Tony was sure Gibbs would never have given him permission. Jenny, his co-conspirator, knew all about Jeanne and covered for Tony so he could see her.

Settling his hands on his thighs, Tony pushed himself up off his comfortable sofa and headed for his kitchen to put on a pot of coffee. Another habit he’d developed while Gibbs was away in Mexico. 

Tony felt himself being pulled in all directions. First was the Director and her special assignment. La Grenouille. Tony had worked too long and too hard, sneaking off from the team to work on it to give up now. Tony had a sinking feeling that Gibbs would manage to put two-and-two together pretty soon. Hopefully not before the job was done. He didn’t think Gibbs would forgive either of them for leaving him out.

Then there was Jeanne Benoit. Adorable, drop-dead gorgeous, witty, bright. and she wanted to start a sexual relationship with him…Anthony DiNozzo. Normally Tony would have thought that a good thing. He hated lying to her, but he’d had no choice and now he found himself falling for her. Closer to the mark was that perhaps he was afraid that once he finally gave that little bit of himself, he’d lose her the way Gibbs had lost his family. Tony wasn’t sure he was ready for that.

Lastly there was Gibbs. Bull-headed, obstinate, infuriating Leroy Jethro Gibbs. If only Tony knew what it was he had with Gibbs. Balancing their work relationship with their sexual relationship was getting stressful. It hurt to see Gibbs pairing off more and more with McGee and leaving Tony to work with Ziva, who was so quick to note any change in his behavior. Luckily she was focusing on him and Jeanne, though she was still in the dark as to his entanglement with their boss. Tony’s head fell back and a smile crept across his face as he wondered how Ziva would take it if she ever found out. He thought for all her cosmopolitan attitude that she might be just a little shocked.

A waft of freshly brewed coffee came his way and Tony reluctantly got up from the sofa. Four scoops of sugar and a dollop of hazelnut-flavored cream, stir and sip. A leisurely stroll back to the couch, then setting the mug down, gathering up the new book he’d just bought, Tony lay full length upon his couch. One arm behind his head for support, he settled the book upon his stomach and opened to the where he’d left off; wandering just how close the Probie had stayed to the truth.

If McGee was going to write a story, he should write one on his sister. Having your sister drugged by a skanky, cheerleading, ex-roommate, almost raped by a campus security rent-a-cop and thinking she’d killed someone would make a best seller. 

Seaman Petty’s life had been cut short by a jealous girlfriend or the security cop, depending on which one you believed, while trying to stop the security cop from harming Tim’s sister. Sara had claimed not to remember, but the evidence found, her cell phone on the body, the bloody knife left in the cab with her fingerprints on it, not to mention her e-mailing death threats all pointed to her being the murderer. Tony had to sympathize with McGee, it was hard to stay objective when someone so close to you was the suspect. Thank goodness Abby had been able to prove that Sara had indeed been drugged. The security tapes, plus the ten dead fish led them to the real murderers.

Tony had watched as Gibbs interrogated Sara, forcing her to see just how much Tim cared about her. In spite of the hard time he’d given McGee, Tony admired his loyalty to his sister. It was nice to see that Tim’s devotion was justified. Nice that Tim had someone he cared about, as was obvious when Tim wrapped his arms around his sister, comforting her just after Abby called them all down to see what she’d found.

Tony wasn’t getting any younger. He wouldn’t admit it to anyone but he longed for someone to care for. Earlier, before this case started, Tony had phoned Gibbs, testing the waters so to speak. He’d detected a little hesitance on Gibbs part and wasn’t sure what to expect. He’d knocked several times and gotten no answer, not unusual in itself. Tony had headed straight for the cellar expecting to find Gibbs sulking there and was mildly surprised to not find him. Tony looked approvingly down upon the completed boat. He turned to leave and ran smack-dab into Gibbs.

The look in those blue eyes did not bode well, Tony thought, right before Gibbs grabbed him by the front of his shirt and dragged him through the house. In the bedroom, Gibbs’ - not the spare bedroom - the buttons on his two-hundred dollar shirt were sent flying. He still hadn’t figured out how to explain that to his cleaners. Gibbs was like a man possessed, stripping off the rest of Tony’s clothing. No words were said, none were needed as Gibbs took control.

Three hours later Tony was back at his apartment and he still didn’t know what had happened. All those times he’d pleasured Gibbs had just been returned threefold. Gibbs had licked, nipped, and caressed every inch of his body…well almost every inch. More importantly, Gibbs had actually sucked him off. 

Damn, this was getting him nowhere. He was going to have to get his mind on something else. McGee’s book. Tony could picture McGee sitting down in front of his antique typewriter, staring at a blank sheet of paper. Tony still couldn’t get over that someone had published McGee’s work. It certainly explained all the money he’d been throwing around lately.

Tony yawned, remembering just how cute McGee’s sister was. That and the fact that she had strange taste in food were the only things he knew about her. Why was it McGee had never told him he had a sister? It was a shame he wasn’t interested in her. That led his thoughts back to sex and Jeanne. He’d been totally serious when he’d told her “If you always do what you’ve always done, then you’ll always get what you always got. And while what I got had its perks…I’m looking for something different now.” If only he knew what that was. Right now what he had with Gibbs was the same as what he’d always gotten with others. A heavy sigh escaped him as he debated, what did he want more? Gibbs or Benoit? The book fell flat on Tony’s chest and his eyes slowly closed.

Tony frowned as he suddenly found himself back in NCIS headquarters. Oddly, ‘It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas’ was playing over the loudspeaker and there was a huge tree in the bullpen in the process of being decorated. Ziva, Tim, Abby, Jenny, Ducky, and even Palmer, everyone but Gibbs and him, all gathered around the tree cheerfully decorating it. Strange, he’d worked at NCIS for six years and while a few decorations were put up, there was nothing like this. 

The music was much too cheerful; Tony found he wasn’t in the mood for cheerful. The songs were classic Christmas carols that he’d grown up listening to. He could see himself looking over the railing down at his mother, her hair perfectly coifed, dressed in a dress of green brocade that brought out her green eyes. She twirled happily to the music as she adjusted her earrings while she waited for his father to take her to every special social engagement that came up during the Christmas season. He’d be left all alone, only allowed to join in when his parents were the hosts of the party and he was paraded in front of the guest to play the piano before being sent to his room. God, how he hated that. He could hear himself playing in his head. 

Gloom settled over him and the music changed to match his mood. ‘Where Are You Christmas’ followed ‘I’ll Be Home for Christmas’. Tony frowned; strangely no one seemed to notice that he was there. Abby and Tim were laughing and throwing icicles at each other. Palmer and Lee were making out behind the tree. Jenny was handing ornaments to Ducky as he carefully placed them on the tree. ‘Chestnut’s Roasting’ gave way to ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ and the younger members of the group began dancing to the music, switching partners as the elder members continued placing baubles on the tree.

He cringed when ‘Feliz Navidad’ played, a song he hated with a passion. It only served to remind him that Gibbs had left him once for Mexico and given the right incentive could do so again. Someone’s hands grabbed hold of Tony’s hips, forcing them to move to the beat of the song. At first he thought they were Abby’s hands, but she was by the tree holding mistletoe over McGee’s head. The body behind him pressed close and they began swaying to the music. It was only when he felt a familiar bulge grinding against his backside that he knew who it had to be. Tony closed his eyes, he couldn’t resist leaning back against the body behind him.

Tony’s eyes opened again as the music changed. Gibbs turned him around and did something he’d never done before. Gibbs kissed him, gently at first then deepening. If that wasn’t shocking enough, Gibbs pulled back and smiled, the soft smile that he’d used once before when he told Tony he was irreplaceable. Then he pulled Tony to him and they danced, twirling slowly in the space between the desks. Tony held his breath, his eyes wide with wonderment. It felt good being in Gibbs’ arms, their bodies pressed together. 

Tony didn’t know what to think as Gibbs started singing softly in his ear. 

Christmas Eve and all is well.  
You can hear the sound of the old church bell.

Boys and Girls can hardly wait.  
Old St. Nick please don’t be late.

Snowflakes fall so soft and white  
Dear friends come by singing Silent Night

Amazingly Gibbs had a very good voice. Tony could see the faces of his colleagues as he and Gibbs moved slowly to the music. 

Merry Christmas, wherever you are  
All men are brothers under the star  
Love one another, yes one world together  
Wherever you are tonight.

Everyone was watching them now. Abby’s face held an expression of delight, Tim’s was thoughtful and Tony only wished that this was not about to become part of Tim’s next book.

Lights burn bright upon the tree.  
A shining star for all to see  
A Christmas place that’s all aglow,  
The fireplace, some mistletoe.

Ducky’s expression was a bit bemused, and Palmer giving them a thumbs up as he held Lee close.

We’ll say a prayer for all mankind  
May love and peace be yours and mine.

Merry Christmas, wherever you are  
All men are brothers under the star  
Love one another, yes one world together  
Wherever you are tonight.

Jenny’s face swam into view and it was clear she was not amused.

Tony’s cell phone, the one Ziva had dubbed Fritz, startled him awake. God, it was all a dream. His heart raced as he tried to make sense of the strange visions and answer the phone at the same time. 

“Hello, Miss Benoit.” Her soft trill of laughter made him smile. Perhaps a little phone sex with Jeanne would help. 

“How did you know it was me?” she asked coyly.

That was easy to answer; there was only one person who had this number. Tony looked at his watch and did his best to think of something witty in reply. He let out a sigh of relief when he was interrupted by the chime of the doorbell.

“Sweetheart, there’s someone at my door,” Tony spoke into the phone as he pushed himself off the sofa and headed toward the door automatically making sweet-talk as he went. He checked his peep-hole and almost dropped his phone. Standing in front of his doorway was Gibbs, a pizza box in one hand, a six pack in the other.


	10. Where Do We Go From Here? (Gibbs POV) Chapter 10-Smoked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A dead man in a chimney chute on a marine base leads the team to discover a serial killer's burial ground. They believe that the dead man was the serial killer until Abby uncovers something which proves he may actually be a victim. Meanwhile, Tony helps the director with a special project and makes time for his girlfriend as well while Ducky talks to Gibbs about how he felt betrayed when Gibbs left and after a heart-to-heart the two eventually repair their friendship.

“What was the toe doing in her husband’s stomach?” Gibbs took another sip of his coffee and glanced across his desk at FBI Agent Fornell, sitting on the other side. The two men were leaning back in their chairs, sipping coffee and discussing the case. Everyone else being gone they could relax, let their guard down.

It was a good question. And to think it all started when a construction crew found a dead body in a smokestack. Fornell came into it when Abby, with McGee’s help, attempted to ID the corpse. Their efforts to match the only two fingerprints they had been blocked…by the FBI. Turned out the body was that of a cannibal and serial killer, one Fornell had been after for over twelve years. Tobias probably still smarted from trying to wrench jurisdiction away from NCIS and not succeeding. Someone had killed the serial killer on Navy property making the case NCIS’s. 

Charlie Bright, a building inspector for the D.O.D. was believed to have murdered and mutilated fourteen women who happened to look pretty much like his wife, gnawing off the toes on their left feet. Everyone had felt sorry for his wife, even Tobias. When she said she was sure her husband hadn’t done the things he was accused of, nobody realized she was simply stating the truth. 

While trying to date the bones of the four bodies found in Bright’s back yard, Abby, with a little help from Marty, a new friend, had come across an interesting fact. At least one of the victims had been buried after Mr. Bright’s death, leading to only one conclusion. They were now sure the woman had killed her husband. But at the time they had still all thought the man was the monster. Everyone had been most sympathetic. Gibbs could still see the look of shock on Fornell’s face when Gibbs had pulled him back from comforting Mrs. Bright and told him, “Get away from her, Tobias. The bodies in the yard are not from five years ago.” Fornell had asked if they were older. “No. They are more recent then that. Her husband wasn’t the serial killer. She is.”

One look at the wife’s face after he’d accused her had been enough to convince Gibbs that she was pure evil. Gibbs shook his head, marveling at the hinky-ness as Abby would say of it all. There were a lot of unanswered questions still. 

“So what’s with you and DiNozzo?”

Gibbs didn’t know if he was more startled by the question or the fact that Tobias didn’t pronounced Tony’s name the way he normally did. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said gruffly.

“I’m not blind, Jethro. We do share the same taste…er…in relationships.”

“You can’t mean…”

“That I play for both sides? After your ex-wife took me to the cleaners…” Fornell shook his head broodingly as he confided. “Trusting women was a bit difficult. Men were easier to deal with.” 

The look of disbelief on Gibbs’ face must have tipped Fornell off.

“Okay,” Fornell admitted with a bitter laugh. “It only happened once. But I know the signs when I see them.”

“Nothing’s happening with DiNozzo.” That much was true.

“Shame. I figured him ripe for the plucking.” Fornell tossed his empty cup into a wastebasket and pushed himself out of the chair. “Best be getting home. My best girl’s waiting for me.” Fornell smiled and Gibbs knew he was referring to his daughter. 

Gibbs nodded and continued to sit and process what he’d just learned about his old friend. He also mulled over the results of his last visit with Tony. After the case involving McGee’s sister, Gibbs had dropped by Tony’s place. He distinctly remembered standing outside Tony’s door, a pizza in one hand, a six-pack in the other, nervously waiting for Tony to open the door. He had promised himself that this time he was going to do it – tell Tony that they needed to end it. It was for Tony’s own good.

Tony had blocked the doorway, soft music playing in the background, a cell phone to his ear. “Yeah, Boss?”

Gibbs had held up the offerings. “Thought we’d celebrate.”

Tony’s expression was one of puzzlement as he let Gibbs pass into the room. “I’ll get back to you,” he’d spoken into the cell phone before snapping it shut. “Celebrate what?”

“Your 100th victim,” Gibbs offered, referring to the crude remark that Tony had made to that effect earlier in the case when they had arrived on the scene. Even Ziva had thought it crass.

“Okay, Boss,” Tony laughed, then as if he hadn’t believed him. “Why are you really here?”

Gibbs sat down on the sofa and opened the pizza box. He stared at the contents, doing his best to get his thoughts straight, before finding the courage. “We need to end it.”

Tony dropped into a chair. He had been giving Gibbs a strange look that made him slightly uncomfortable before the look changed to stunned. Gibbs had the distinct impression at the time that Tony was in a small part relieved. “Just like that, huh,” Tony muttered, and his eyes had looked somewhat glassy. 

Looking back on it, Gibbs supposed the person on the phone was Tony’s new love interest. It had to be love, Tony’s lack of bragging led Gibbs to believe that he was getting serious. While Gibbs, of course, held a dim view on marriage, he felt that Tony needed someone. He couldn’t help feeling conflicted. While enjoying what he and Tony did, he couldn’t bring himself to commit himself. Even though neither of them no longer had an appetite they had managed to tackle the pizza in uncomfortable silence.

Gibbs choked down the last piece of pizza. Reluctantly he rose to leave.

“Gibbs? Jethro?” Tony’s call had held him back. “If this is really…goodbye. Could we…ah…one last time?”

Gibbs’ heart had soared as he turned back. Deep down Gibbs hadn’t really wanted this to be the end, but he knew for Tony’s sake they shouldn’t continue. Tony must have read something in his eyes, he’d taken Gibbs by the hand and led him into the bedroom.

Gibbs settled further back in his office chair, his legs spread, closed his eyes, and happily reliving what had happened next.

“Stop!” Gibbs sat on the edge of Tony’s bed as Tony began shucking his clothes. As much as he wanted Tony – and God help him, he did, Gibbs realized that he’d never actually taken the time to simply watch, Tony’s clothing having always disappeared like magic. Part of the eroticism with women was watching one piece of clothing after another leave their body. Sometimes - sometimes, darkness was better. But not with Tony. Gibbs wanted to be reminded of what and whom he was with. If this was to be their previous time Gibbs wanted it to be memorable and not frantic as it had been their last time together, when he had taken control, sure it would be the last time. “Slowly,” he requested as he reclined, resting his head on his palm, to observe.

Tony struck a pose that could only be described as seductive, then slowly unbuttoned his shirt. The cloth slid slowly down his shoulders, the nipples on his lightly fur-covered chest beginning to stiffen in anticipation. One finger ran down the single strip of hair that trailed down the middle of Tony’s chest towards his pubs and Gibbs was shocked to find himself licking his lips as Tony’s hand undid the button of his slacks and slid the zipper down ever so slowly. Running his finger along the waistband of his briefs until Gibbs couldn’t stand it anymore.

He lunged, dragging the younger man to the bed. Tony was laughing and it was good to hear the sound, Tony had been much too morose of late. It was odd. Gibbs was fairly certain that Tony was having a problem with ‘them’ the same as he was. Not so much by what he said, but by what he didn’t say.

Gibbs moaned softly to himself, remembering reaching for Tony’s cock, when-

“Jethro! I’m surprised you are still here.”

The words, spoken by Ducky, yanked Gibbs back from his reverie with a frown. Damn, just when he was getting to the good part. Gibbs couldn’t stay peeved with Ducky long though. The two men had made up whatever differences they had earlier in the case. Gibbs had done something he’d never done with any of his ex-wives. He had apologized.

Gibbs set his feet on the floor and threw his cup of cold coffee away. “Just leaving, Duck.”

Wrapping his arm around the older man’s shoulders, the two headed for the elevator.

“Have you read the last chapter of McGee’s book?” Ducky asked apparently in all innocence.

“Ducky!” Gibbs growled warningly. He’d had enough talk about that book, Deep Six. 

“I take it that’s a ‘no’,” Ducky said as he punched the button on the elevator. “I realize that Timothy claims the book’s a work of fiction, and I’m quite sure Jimmy has never had sex with any of our corpses. Still it’s an interesting chapter concerning the relationship with his Special Agents Tommy and T. J. Tibbs. Perhaps I’d better not say more, but it does pose some unusual possibilities.”

Opening and closing his mouth was the best Gibbs could do. He closed his eyes and could only hope his assumption was not true.


	11. He Didn't Say Goodbye (Tony's POV) Chapter 11-Driven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A woman is found dead in a classified robotic vehicle she was working on developing. Although it initially looks like suicide, when Abby puts the vehicle through some tests, it nearly takes her life as well. They discover that someone rigged the vehicle to kill the passenger and make it appear to be suicide. They discover that the woman who was killed was not the intended target. Meanwhile, Tony visits the hospital to see his girlfriend and continues working on special projects for the Director. Ziva notices Tony getting calls from the hospital and begins worrying that he is sick.

It had been a long couple of weeks. Tony lay staring at the ceiling. He couldn’t move because Jeanne was lying across him and truth be told he liked the feel of her body on his. He looked at the red bracelet Jeanne had attached to his wrist. A bracelet from the psychiatric ward. Appropriate he thought. Here he had this gorgeous woman in his arms, had just finished a marathon round of sex and he was thinking about his boss. One Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Damn, what was wrong with him? Why couldn’t he get the fucking man out of his mind?

Tony had no idea why he let Gibbs think he knew more about sex with a guy then he did. Sure he and his frat buddies had messed around when they were on spring break, but that was only when they didn’t luck out with the girls.

Of course he’d fantasized about sticking it to Gibbs. Tony chuckled lowly, willing to bet that Gibbs had the tightest ass ever. Even stranger he had this strange desire for Gibbs to…

“Aw, honey, not again. I have to work tomorrow.” Jeanne said drowsily, moving off of Tony.

Tony looked down into Jeanne’s sleep-filled eyes then down at his full-blown erection. How had that happened? “Sorry, babe. Maybe I’d just better go home, huh?” He slipped out beneath her, and began pulling on his clothes, not bothering to shower. One last look showed him that she had grabbed a pillow, replacing him and was already back asleep, a satisfied smile upon her face.

Yawning as he drove through the early morning traffic, Tony wished he had an OTTO to do the driving for him. He didn’t understand how the robotic vehicle worked but according to McGee it was an artificial intelligence. Then he remembered how it had taken the life of Navy Lieutenant Roni Seabrook and had almost taken Abby’s life as well. That had scared the shit out of Gibbs, hell it had affected them all. Tony shuddered to think what would have happened if Gibbs hadn’t shown up when he had. 

Tony had to remind himself it wasn’t the car’s fault. Otto had been programmed by the project head to take out another of the scientist working on the project and not meant to kill the victim at all. A tragic mistake. 

Tony glanced in his rearview mirror. Were those headlights following a little too closely? The night before, Tony had spent the better part of the night on a covert operation for Jenny. Now he felt a chill go up his spine. What if he had been made? In spite of Director Shepard’s assurances, it had looked like he had when one the three people he’d had under surveillance turned around in his chair and stared out the restaurant window. He breathed a sigh of relief when the car turned at the next light, leaving him to continue on his way in peace.

Red light, yellow light, green light. Indications of different degrees of sexual harassment. Poppycock. As Tony pulled into his parking spot, he couldn’t get over that the case had come at a time when after three years of managing to avoid the damn Sexual Harassment Lecture their luck had finally run out. He shook his head imagining Abby asking every time she wanted to hug one of them. It just wouldn’t work. Tony supposed he shouldn’t have brought up the head-slapping thing. Letting himself into his apartment, Tony felt a twinge guilty for almost outing Gibbs on it. 

A trip to the bath to rid himself of the sweaty smell of sex. As he sank into the warm water of his tub, Tony relived Gibbs announcement. “Gear up. A Navy Lieutenant’s been found dead in an R & D facility in Fairfax. Tony had questioned the scientist that had found her – a Torsten Engler. Too arrogant, too sure of himself. Tony hadn’t liked him. Engler was quite sure that Seabrook had killed herself. 

Checking the video tape had led them to their first suspect. Jaime Jones, chief mechanic, was caught on tape making advances to the victim. Finding him tied up, lying naked, in her bed had been a bit of a shock. If Tony thought Abby had a lot of tats, it was nothing compared to what Jones had. His arms and groin area had been covered with them. Ziva had seemed to find them interesting.

Tony frowned as he dried himself off. Ziva was getting way too nosy. Wanting to know who he was talking to on the phone, why he’d gone to the hospital. It wasn’t any of her business. It was bad enough when she’d questioned him about meeting her at Seabrook’s apartment. In retrospect he probably shouldn’t have said anything about stopping at the hospital first. He’d managed to deflect that one by saying he was dropping off a stool sample. But when she actually grabbed his phone. Now that was going too far. He’d gotten her good though, telling her when she asked about his supposed tests results that – yeah, that McGee was the father. Wait until McGee hears about that.

That thought left a smile on his face as he slipped between the sheets and closed his eyes. After a few minutes he couldn’t help tossing and turning, trying to get comfortable. Damn, now he was wide awake, unable to sleep. Tony pulled himself into a sitting position. What was he to do now? His eyes caught sight of the book, Tim’s book, on his bed side table. He reached over and pulled it to him opening to the last chapter. His eyes widen and his mouth opened in disbelief as he read each page.


	12. Where Do We Go From Here? (Gibbs POV) Chapter 12-Suspicion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When a Marine is murdered in a small town hotel room, NCIS is called in to investigate. However, the local Sheriff's department already cleaned up the crime scene and performed an autopsy. They also have a suspect - an Iraqi national who just moved to town a few months earlier.

Gibbs was running scared. Not that he would admit it, of course. And it wasn’t from Ziva’s constant insistence that there was something wrong with Tony. That Tony was being way too secretive. He knew about Tony’s visits to the Hospital. Hell, he’d been the one that insisted upon them, knowing that Tony would let it slide if he could get away with it. He also knew that Tony’s physical health was okay. No, his fear sprang from something more, and Tony was part of it. It was a gut feeling having to do with this last case. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it and that aggravated him. What he did do was retrieve his over-night bag from the trunk of his car, slam said trunk and made his way over the brick-pavers to his back porch. Bounding up the porch steps, Gibbs opened the back door and entered into his darkened kitchen not bothering to lock the door.

Gibbs couldn’t help having his suspicions that the hospital was where Tony had met his latest love interest. The one he was being so secretive about. Gibbs hated to admit it, but it was so unlike Tony not to share the intimate details of his latest conquest that Gibbs knew deep down that it was something serious. Wasn’t that why he’d set Tony free? A decision he was beginning to regret.

Still in the dark Gibbs reached into his bag, removed the stash of coffee grounds, setting them next to the coffee maker before heading down the hall. He tossed the bag on the foot of the bed along with his jacket and headed back to the kitchen, debating on putting a pot of coffee on or tossing back some Scotch. The Scotch won. Gibbs grabbed a bottle and glass and moved out to his back porch, slipping down onto his Adirondack chair setting the bottle on the table next to it. He’d been the last one out after reviewing everyone’s reports and filing them along with his own. Leaning back, making himself comfortable, he considered how each member’s report had been as diverse as the team members themselves. 

Tony had managed to turn his report in first, unusual for him, skipping out of the office as soon as the report landed on Gibbs’ desk. Tony had been in and out of the office so much lately that he reminded Gibbs of a Jack-in-the-box. Gibbs stretched out his legs and looked satisfyingly around his back yard. Surrounded by trees as it was gave him a great deal of privacy. He flicked open the top button on his pants and sighed with relief as he slid the zipper down giving him room for expansion. Sending Tony back to Washington early had been his only choice at the time, even if it did leave him paired with Ziva. Gibbs found that he couldn’t seem to concentrate when Tony was so near. It had gotten worse once he’d called it quits with Tony. The craving for more growing stronger now that he knew he couldn’t touch Tony. Gibbs reached for the bottle and poured himself a stiff drink. He smiled slightly thinking that it was for that reason that he hadn’t been able to bring himself to head-slap Tony when he and McGee had done their version of dueling banjos. Edenvale…now that was as close to boondocks as it got. He sipped his drink, still able to hear Tony and McGee in his head.

Now McGee’s report was well thought out, containing more detail then Gibbs needed or wanted to know. It was no longer unexpected now that Gibbs knew about McGee’s book. In spite of Ducky’s hint about the last chapter, Gibbs refused to give into his curiosity and read the book. That damn book was leading to more problems than Gibbs cared to think about.

Gibbs had to smile at how McGee had seemed taken with the forensic pathologist. What was her name? Ruby. Rubeee. Sheese. Gibbs shook his head as he repeated her name in his head. Not a name that gave you much confidence in her abilities. Perhaps it was her red hair. Perhaps he should warn McGee against trusting anyone with red hair. McGee seemed to have faith in her though. Come to think of it, he and her kinda looked alike. If you squinted and looked at the two of them together with your eyes half closed. Something about their lower lips. Gibbs’ lip twitched at the thought.

Ziva’s official report contained nothing he didn’t already know, seeing as he’d been with her most of the time. At least she didn’t put in her questions about Tony and his strange behavior. The thought of which had Gibbs swallowing the remains of his drink in one gulp before pouring another. He scowled forcing his mind away from the implications and cast his mind on the case in general.

Being an in-charge kinda guy Gibbs had been thrown out of kilter by having to work around a couple of small-town law-enforcement officers on this case. Everything about this case raised Gibbs hackles. For one thing N.C.I.S. hadn’t been contacted on the case until three days after the murder. Sheriff Barnett claimed it was a breakdown in communications. One that gave them time for most of the evidence to have been cleaned away and the body autopsied. It could be true, after all the victim had been registered under a false name. Still Gibbs hadn’t been able to bring himself to trust what evidence had been garnered mainly because his people hadn’t done the garnering. He could tell that Ducky hadn’t been much too happy with the situation either. He had to rely on the medical examiner’s report for the most part. There was a lot the body could have told them and now never would.

Gibbs stared at his backyard without really seeing it. God, this case had been so convoluted. A Marine Corp intelligence officer, Lt. Shahene found murdered in a small town hotel. Two shots to the chest. Only one casing, gathered by Edenvale’s one and only forensic pathologist. Okay, at first Ducky and Abby had both thought there might be two shooters. The evidence certainly pointed to that fact. According to McGee’s report it was reading Ruby’s report that led him to have her come from Edenvale into NCIS headquarters. She had demonstrated that the first shot in all probability had ended up leaving the barrel in tandem with the second shot, answering all Abby’s and Ducky’s questions about whether there was one shooter or two. Okay, so Ruby was much smarter then he took her for, he had told her she’d done a good job.

It was the way this case reminded him of other cases, other times, other people. He’d grown up in a small town much like Edenvale, knew people much like Sheriff Barrett and his brother. Hell, that was the main reason Gibbs had joined the Marines, to get away from that type of small town mentality. The same mentality that saw terrorist around every corner, that pegged the innocent Tariq as one.

Tariq. The sheriff had managed to track Shahene to Tariq’s house, thanks to a nosy neighbor. Every small town had one, as Gibbs knew from personal experience. The question was why had she gone there? According to Tony, Tariq was one of three Iraqi informants that were relocated to the United States six months ago for operation Caldron. A search of Tariq’s house turned up signs of explosives and no Tariq. After that even Gibbs thought it possible that Tariq was guilty, but he wasn’t stupid enough to shot their only suspect before he had a change to interrogate him.

It was just luck that none of the sheriff’s or his brother the deputy’s shots killed the man. Gibbs still couldn’t get over the reason Tariq had decided to change sides. The parallel of Tariq losing his wife and daughter hadn’t escaped Gibbs’ notice. Once he got past that, it only left one other option. One other suspect. Major Rains, Shahene’s commanding officer. Thanks to Tariq’s nosy neighbors, they had proof that Rains’ vehicle had been in the vicinity. Knowing that Major Rains was the one responsible for bringing the three men to America and that only Tariq had given information of any importance had been suspicious. If Lt. Shahene were investigating Rains it all made sense. Gibbs was proud of the quick teamwork that gathered the evidence that proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that Rains had killed her to stop her investigation.

Gibbs found Rains’ reason incredibly stupid. He claimed that the other two Iraqi’s were just rich kids who wanted to come to America. Rich kids who just happened to have two million dollars to bribe him with? So there were Terrorists involved in this case after all. 

Terrorist. Was that what was bothering him? Or was it Ziva’s insistence that something medical was wrong with Tony. He should never have said anything about it not being the only explanation. Ziva might decide to look closer for something else and find out about him and Tony. Not that that anything was going on any more. 

Gibbs sighed and zipped his pants back up. If nothing else going back over the case had lessened his arousal. That led his thoughts back to Tony. What was Tony doing now? Was he with Her? What was it that Tony had with his current female that he couldn’t have with Gibbs? One thought did occur to Gibbs, but he brushed it aside, pulled it back and actually considered it. Letting Tony fuck him? Gibbs cringed at the thought, then an evil smile flashed across his face. Now him fucking Tony, that was something whoever she was couldn’t do. 

In the meantime Gibbs planned to keep his options open. What he needed was another diversion, something to keep his mind occupied. Picking up his bottle, Gibbs returned to his house, automatically going for the door that led to his basement. He looked down at the now finished ‘Kelly’. Maybe he could start building another boat. Gibbs brightened visibly. He looked proudly down at the ‘Kelly’ in her finished state. His mind made up all he had to do now was figure out how to get her out.


	13. He Didn't Say Goodbye (Tony's POV) Chapter 13-Sharif Returns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the NCIS team learns that the missing 10 kilograms of highly toxic chemical weapons are now in the hands of Mamoun Sharif, a wanted terrorist, they will have to find a way to find the man and stop him before it's too late with the aid from Army Lt. Col. Hollis Mann and constant phone calls from Sharif himself.

Why did past cases always have a way of coming back and biting them? Mamoun Sharif, the FBI informant who supposedly died in a fire, had returned from the dead with a vengeance. Instead of using bombs he had gone with BZ gas, classified as a chemical weapon. Tony couldn’t help shivering remembering the condition in which they had found Major John McGuire, whom Sharif had used as a test subject. The man had died of heat stroke, but he’d also gone crazy, loosing his mind. The gas had caused hallucinations that had the man literally climbing the walls and eventually eating his eyeball. If he hadn’t shorted out the power box, causing the traffic lights above ground to blink SOS, they might never have found him.

Tying the gas to Sharif brought Colonel Hollis Mann back into it. Tony pulled up in front of Gibbs’ home and turned off the ignition. He had to hand it to Gibbs though. Figuring out that Sharif was modifying the gas and coating money with it was a leap that he was sure Mann would never have made on her own. A knot formed in his stomach as Tony remembered Gibbs’ suggestion that she would be a perfect cover for ‘them’. Only now there was no longer a ‘them’ for her to be cover for. 

He had to give Mann credit. If she hadn’t been with them Gibbs might be dead now and not Sharif. It was agitating that Gibbs sent Tony off to make sure the poisoned money was burned rather then go with him to the hospital to make sure Gibbs was okay. Knowing how close he’d come to losing Gibbs was why he was here now.

Tony sat in the dark and worried his lower lip. Right now it seemed as if everything was falling apart. His MOAS, Mother of All Secret, was not one secret, but three. Top of the list was his relationship with Gibbs. No, that wasn’t quite right; right now it was more the lack of Gibbs. He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. Even if Gibbs had beaten him here, why was the house so dark? He could leave his car and go into the house, it probably wasn’t locked. A mistake he was going to make sure never happened again once he got a chance to impress the fact into Gibbs’ overly thick skull. If he locked his door like a normal person, Sharif would never have been able to tamper with his hand tools. The thought of Gibbs poisoned and slowly going mad hit Tony, causing a tightening in his chest. Tony was suffering from guilt for not being there when Gibbs heard from Sharif and found out he’d been exposed to the modified formula by way of his hand tools. 

Instead of being there for Gibbs, he’d been off checking up on Dr. Benoit. Falling for her had not been part of the plan. But fall he had. He wasn’t sure where he stood with her and lately he was getting vibes that she was just using him. That he was nothing more then a boy toy for her. Now wasn’t that a laugh? Tony wasn’t laughing now. It was his insecurity about their relationship that had him open her e-mail. His curiosity had gotten the better of him.

He remembered every word.

Dear Jeanne

Long time no speak. I know that sounds lame but after trying to figure out a way to open this letter to you I figured I’d just start typing and see what comes out. I know you’re probably reaching for the delete button right now so I’m just going to cut to the chase. I miss you, Jeanne. I really do. I’ve had a lot of time to think about things to think about what’s important. And I realize that letting you go was probably one of the biggest mistakes of my life. There you finally heard me say it. I made a mistake. I know it’s probably too late. And I don’t fault for you hating me. But if there’s still something left inside you, some of the old feelings for me I just want you to know that I want you back. Sometimes we don’t know what we really had until we loose it and losing you made me realize how much you mean to me. I only hope it’s not too late. I guess if I don’t hear back from you I’ll have my answer.

Yours always,

It was at this point that the news of mystery illnesses come over the computer and Tony connected it to the call from Ziva. The call he’d pointedly not answered. Tony pulled out his cell phone, thinking to call Gibbs, see if he was okay. He flipped open the cover and stared at the lit numbers before shutting it back again. It was bad enough knowing that Jeanne had someone else, someone who wanted her back, someone whose e-mail she didn’t delete. That meant he wasn’t totally out of her system, like Gibbs wasn’t out of his. 

Like they said, you can’t have your cake and eat it too. 

Tony had finally read the last chapter in McGee’s book. It wasn’t bad enough that McGee had made big bucks off the book. Or that he now owned a Porsche. He was shocked at how close to the truth, or what had been the truth, McGee had come. He didn’t even dare ask how or why. There was a slim chance that the Elf Lord was simply getting back at him for spreading the rumor that Tim was gay. On the other hand, there were all those times they’d gotten together for a couple of drinks. When would he learn to keep his big mouth shut? Tony had let slip about his father and the civil war reenactments and, heaven forbid, his first time sexually with a girl. But surely he hadn’t told McGee about himself and Gibbs! Okay he may have admitted to a certain admiration of the man, but McGee’s version had gone way beyond simple admiration. 

Then there was La Grenouille. Deep down Tony knew it was a mistake keeping it from Gibbs, but he wasn’t the one calling the shots. His gut was telling him that the bald headed man had spotted him the night he had done surveillance outside the restaurant. There was no doubt in his mind that it would mean trouble, as if he didn’t have enough. The people he had tracked were dangerous, extremely dangerous. 

Giving a heavy sigh and one last look at Gibbs’ house, Tony turned the ignition on and pulled out into the street. Maybe he’d go home and dream of the all too brief times he and Gibbs had shared in the basement.


	14. Where Do We Go From Here? (Gibbs POV) Chapter 14-Blow Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After catching an international arms dealer, the NCIS team learns that Navy's highly classified weapons system will be sold to "La Grenouille," an important arms dealer. To stop the transaction from happening, the team sends Ducky undercover. Meanwhile, another government agency appears to be working on the same case, with different plans.

Gibbs slowly closed the door, leaving the Director counting diamonds in her office after the unsuccessful attempt to bring ‘The Frog’ to justice. He supposed he could have been pissed with her pulling rank on the mission, with not being told her agenda earlier, but now he was more saddened then anything. 

Now Gibbs was holding a mental conversation with himself in the silence of the elevator, having hit the stop button and pacing the four foot patch of flooring. 

Damn it, Jen, what the hell are you thinking of? Revenge? I’ve been there. I know what it’s like to want revenge. Needing revenge so bad you can taste it. The desperate need to track down the enemy and lie in wait for the kill. And once you’ve gotten it, what then? He paused and sighed heavily. Look at me. I got my revenge for all the good it did me. In the end it changed nothing. Shannon and Kelly are still dead. Just what was it La Grenouille did to you, Jenny? 

With a flick of his finger Gibbs set the elevator once again in motion. Once the elevator door opened, Gibbs nodded to the guard on duty before pushing through the doorway. He adjusted the collar of his coat before heading to the parking lot and his car, debating on what to do with the rest of his evening. It was late, but there were bars still open or he could go home and work on that fourth boat. As he put the key into the car’s lock he considered just going to bed. There would only be one problem with that. He’d be alone. He regretted more than anything breaking it off with Tony. He’d given Hollis a try and while it had been fun, he had found himself working harder and enjoying it less then he had with Tony. That left going to a bar or working on the boat.

Behind the wheel he still hadn’t decided. He couldn’t seem to get the whole operation out of his mind. Code names kept flitting through his mind as he flitted through late night traffic. Goliath, Black Rose, La Grenouille, Archangel…Tango 8. 

When Ziva brought to his attention and insisted they follow up on the intel from Mossad that she’d received on Goliath, he’d shrugged indifferently and said, “What the hell. Why not?” 

He’d waited in the plane while Tony and Ziva carried out the kidnapping, wishing he could be a bigger part of it. From all indications the snatch went smooth as silk. In fact he hadn’t had to do a whole lot beyond just sitting back and letting the kids have all the fun. A fond smile touched his lips. He’d enjoyed listening to Tony spout off. He’d even managed to throw in a couple of quips himself. In a way it seemed a shame the jet trip had been faked. He wouldn’t have minded their stopping in Casablanca and letting Tony tickle the ivories. 

In the end it turned out that they might have hit the jack-pot – Goliath supplied the information thinking he was dealing with the CIA that Ares, the navy’s encrypted satellite system was for sale by one Charles Andrew Harrow. A smug smile appeared as Gibbs recollected getting the needed code words in order to access Goliath’s computer.

Letting out a curse Gibbs slammed on the breaks and skidded into the turn he’d almost missed. Almost missing his exit didn’t aggravate him nearly as much as just when he’d been on the verge of sending Tony and Ziva to pick up Harrow, Tony disappeared. He’d ended up sending McGee off with Ziva instead. He finally managed to track Tony down, hiding in a quiet corner talking on his cell, catching only a few words before Tony noticed him. Heart rate, pulse and doctor. Gibbs couldn’t help but worry that it might be possible that Ziva was right and Tony wasn’t doing well?

It was a shame that Tony spotted him for in an instant he’d had clicked off his phone and was back at his desk before Gibbs could even pose an inquiry about the call. Tony was all business by the time Gibbs made it back to his desk, having answers for every question before Gibbs could finish asking them. The moment Trent Thomas Kort’s face hit the screen and he denied recognizing him, Gibbs knew Tony was lying. Tony’s ability to lie...well, let’s just say… he wasn’t as good as he thought he was. When Tony slipped off yet again, it didn’t take a genius to figure out where he had gone.

Gibbs pulled into his driveway and sat for a moment his temper getting the best of him before getting out walking around to the back of his darkened house. Once inside, Gibbs trotted briskly up the stairway to his room. He tore off his clothes, slinging them to the floor, still smarting from Jen’s demand that he call Ziva and McGee off. He’d just barely held his anger and eventually reluctantly acceded to her request. Her fury and tirade at Ziva and McGee, who had ended up chasing Harrow causing him to collapse of heart failure, was in his opinion uncalled for. It was one thing for him call his people on the carpet, quite another for her to do so. That more than Tony’s deliberate lie was what griped him the most.

His annoyance changed to amusement and he had to laugh out loud as he recollected Tony’s showing up in the head shortly after. An apology in a bathroom, how hokey can you get. He’d known something was up for some time, so it wasn’t like it was something new, though it was gratifying that Tony had wanted to tell him about La Grenouille. Even though Tony had lied to him about it Gibbs couldn’t really blame him; it’s not like he’d had much of a choice in the matter. Gibbs knew that he’d already forgiven Tony, he’d just let him sweat a little. Tony’s question rang in his ear. “Would you have lied to Franks?” The answer was yes, if he felt it important enough.

Going out no longer seemed attractive. Nor did working on his boat. With nothing better to do he slipped between his sheets, his thoughts turning to the rest of the La Grenouille operation. Gibbs smirked. La Grenouille, the frog, an appropriate code name considering the man was French. Their information indicated that La Grenouille had ended up as the high bidder beating out Black Rose. As he’d pointed out to Jen, it was a moot point, Harrow was dead. 

Jen, of course, wasn’t about to let that stop her. Fortunately McGee and Abby had located Ares, in of all places, packets of condoms and an old laptop that was more then what it seemed. Harrow must have had some sense of humor. Jen was lucky that Ducky agreed to go along with her scheme to snatch La Grenouille out of Quebec by posing as the late Mr. Harrow. The look of exasperation on McGee’s face as he tried to get Ducky to focus on the intricate details he’d need to carry the impersonation off and Ducky’s insistence on wanting to know whether it was Hare-ow or Hay-row had been pretty comical in Gibbs’ view.

Ducky, as it turned out, had been a natural, not showing any signs of nervousness. Gibbs made a mental note to ask Ducky more about his time in Singapore. Perhaps that was where he’d gained his experience to carry of the impersonation. The only slip as far as Gibbs had been able to tell was when Ducky gave his real ‘nickname’, though Ducky had recovered nicely. It certainly wasn’t his fault that Jen’s plans went sour. 

How the hell were they to know that Kort was actually CIA? Or that Harrow was working with the them and that the whole Ares mess was a CIA sting operation. Well, they certainly had gotten stung. 

At the end he’d been a bit surprised when it looked like Jen’s plans were for La Grenouille’s death and not for a border snatch as he’d been led to believe. What really worried him was that Ziva and Tony had seemed prepared to carry Jen’s instructions out. With that thought Gibbs turned on his side and closed his eyes.

Suddenly Gibbs found himself watching as Tony walked into the bullpen looking as if he’d slept in his clothes. Throwing his jacket across the cabinet behind his desk, Tony started undoing his shirt. He rubbed his bare chest with one hand as he reached into a drawer and withdrew some deodorant. Gibbs was so busy admiring Tony’s upper body that he didn’t notice Ziva until Tony jumped.

“You smell of sex,” Ziva said, running her nose up Tony’s neck.

“Do you have to do that?” Tony snapped, moving out of her range.

Ziva moved to her desk, dropping her purse beside it before sinking into her chair. “So, who is she? Or should I say ‘he’?” Somehow a copy of McGee’s book had magically appeared in her hand.

McGee suddenly appeared out of nowhere and made his way past Tony’s desk to his own. “How many times do I have to say this? It’s a work of fiction.” 

Ziva thumbed through the pages at the end of the book. “It had been a long and dirty case. T. J. Tibbs found that not even working on his boat helped his frustrations. He placed a call to his second-in-command, Special Agent Tommy,” she intoned. “Once Tommy arrived, Tibbs pulled out his impressive 10 ½ incher…” she paused while Gibbs took the chance to look down at his groin. “Just how do you know how impressive…?”

“Yeah. I’d like to know the answer to that myself,” Tony queried as he finished buttoning the fresh shirt that had also appeared out of nowhere.

Loud weeping from the direction of the elevator saved McGee from answering the loaded question. A hysterical Abby wailing loudly came around the corner with Ducky, his arms wrapped protectively around her trying his best to comfort her. The three, Ziva, Tony, and McGee stood open-mouthed and Gibbs figured that they, like he, were wondering what the problem was.

Abby launched herself at McGee, her fists beating his chest. “It’s all your fault! You killed him!” 

Ziva came around her desk, McGee’s book still in her hand. Tony stood there shocked at Abby’s attack while McGee did his best to defend himself without harming the distraught forensic expert.

“I take it you haven’t been home, Anthony,” Ducky addressed Tony somberly. “Gibbs was found dead at your front door of an apparent heart attack.” He reached out and took the book from Ziva. “He had Timothy’s book in his hand.” Gibbs sank in his chair as shocked as the three who stared open-mouthed at Ducky. Letting his words sink in, Ducky continued, “I’m on my way to autopsy now.”

It was then that Gibbs sat up in his bed, sweat pouring over his body. His heart rate slowed and he sank back down wondering what the damn dream meant.


	15. He Didn't Say Goodbye (Tony's POV) Chapter 15-Friends and Lovers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A man proposing to his girlfriend finds the body of a sailor. NCIS works with local officers believing that the man died of an unintentional drug overdose. However, Abby discovers a message written in blood on a laminated card found at the crime scene. Meanwhile, Jimmy continues his relationship with Agent Michelle Lee.

The elevator door opened and Tony looked up from where he had been contemplating the elevator’s floor. His mind, in a state of turmoil, was back at Jeanne’s apartment. Last night he’d been hurting after the tragic event of the previous evening and sex had been the last thing on his mind. Tony had finally managed to slip away to Jeanne’s place, hoping that she would offer him some sort of solace. It had only taken one look at Gibbs’ face at the crime scene to let him know that none would be forthcoming from him. He knew that Gibbs couldn’t do anything at the scene, but later when Gibbs disappeared immediately after the paperwork was done…well?

Slipping between the doors, Tony treaded lightly down the hallway to his desk. The area was dimly lit for which he was grateful, he certainly didn’t want to meet anyone while still wearing the clothing from the day before nor be forced to answer awkward questions. 

It had been barely light out when Tony had finally awoken on Jeanne’s sofa, surprised that he’d managed to get any sleep. His mind was in a quandary. He desperately wanted to be the one to deal with Jeanne’s ex-boyfriend, but Jeanne would have none of it. Wouldn’t even tell Tony his name. On top of that there was the disturbing death of John Carson, a Metro Police officer he’d been working with at the time. Tony realized that, for no reason that he could understand, John’s death had hit him harder than it should have. It was hard to believe that just twenty-four hours ago he hadn’t even met the man. 

Knowing he’d be unable to return to sleep, Tony had decided not to return to his apartment at all. Fortunately, he kept a clean shirt and underwear in the file drawer, in case of just such an instance. He tossed his jacket over the back of his chair, then he began to unbutton his shirt, his thoughts on how strange it was that just days ago Ziva had been trying to teach them how to throw a knife in the lower level of N.C.I.S. It was while reaching into his drawer to remove his deodorant that he had a strange sense of Déjà vu.

“Didn’t make it home last night, DiNozzo?”

The sudden question, by the one person he did not want to meet right now, startled Tony enough that he jumped backwards and dropped the deodorant. “Damn it, Boss. You scared the shit out of me.”

In the soft lighting he could just make out Gibbs, his blue eyes intense, sitting quite still at his desk, a steaming cup of coffee at his elbow. Averting his eyes, Tony bent down to pick up his deodorant. When he straightened up, he turned away to finish unbuttoning his shirt, doing his best to hide the platinum bracelet, a valentine’s gift from Jeanne, that hung on his wrist. “I…um…stayed with…a friend.”

Tony’s ears turned a little red and he couldn’t bring himself to make eye contact with Gibbs. It wasn’t as if Jeanne was really a secret or anything. There was just more to it, that’s all. It was complicated.

“Grab your gear,” Gibbs said sharply. The sudden order had Tony’s head jerking in Gibbs’ direction, watching Gibbs crumple and toss the empty paper cup into the wastebasket before getting up to move briskly to the elevator. His mouth gaped as he hurriedly grabbed a clean shirt out of another drawer, slipping it on, snatched up his jacket as he worked on the buttons, and raced to catch up with Gibbs. He slipped in just as the elevator door began to shut and took his usual place behind and slightly to the right of Gibbs. He could only think it must be important, so he kept silent, not bothering to ask where they were going. 

Tony let his mind drift as he followed Gibbs blindly, his body on autopilot, out the building to the car. He hoped whatever investigation they were headed for was not another stakeout. The last one was more than enough to last him awhile. Stakeouts were boring at best, depending on whom you were partner with. Ziva tended to give Tony a run for his money, McGee, it was so easy to get under his skin, and Gibbs was one for no chatter at all. With John Carson, they’d seemed to have a lot in common. Same type of reading material, same views on women, on love. John’s confession that he wouldn’t have blown the best thing that ever happen to him sleeping with his fiancée’s best friend if he hadn’t been drinking had struck a chord in Tony.

They wouldn’t have even been on that stakeout if Tony hadn’t come up with the lead on the girl that their dead petty officer had been seen with on the night of his murder. And if it hadn’t turned out that she was probably inside the private club, or soon would be. Without probable cause, and technically they had none, they hadn’t been able to get a warrant, hence the stakeout.

Then Gibbs and Detective Morris had shown up with a way to get someone in the club without a warrant. Someone famous, Tom E. Gemcity showing up with Abby, Ziva, and Lee in tow had Tony wishing he had written a book. Just then John spotted a woman in the alley on camera three and Tony and John had gone to check her out. 

Then the nightmare returned to haunt him as the memory of adrenaline running through him as he and John shot it out with the owner of the nightclub they’d been keeping watch on. Bullets flying, missing him as he returned fire. John’s question. “Did we hit her?” His own answer as he checked the body. “No. Look’s like her neck’s broken.”

Looking up and spotting Carson sink to the ground, a bullet hole in the chest. Rushing to him, using his hands to try and stop the bleeding. Telling John he was going to be fine, lying to him. Looking up at Gibbs once John had breathed his last, not liking the look he saw in Gibbs’ eyes.

The rest of that night was lost. He knew he must have done what needed doing, but he couldn’t remember doing so. He didn’t remember much of Ducky’s arrival to take care of the dead, returning to work on his report, nor how he ended up at Jeanne’s place until he’d awaken. Death was an occupational hazard. Having Carson die as Tony tried to stop the bleeding had hit Tony harder then he would have thought possible, especially since Carson had seemed protected by an automobile while he was out in the open while the shots rang out. Carson’s death like Kate’s, was a just another reminder that it might one day be him.

The car’s motion came to a halt bringing Tony’s thoughts back to the present. Startled he looked around, to find they were - at his apartment building. He twisted to look hard at Gibbs. “Ah, Boss?”

Gibbs was giving him *that* look. The look that made his heart go pitter-patter.

“You’ve got time to clean up,” Gibbs said with a gentleness that Tony had never heard before except when maybe when he talked with a child or Abby, then he got out of the car and stood waiting.

Gibbs’ tone of voice caught Tony short, he considered arguing, but what was the point. No one ever managed to win an argument with Gibbs. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Tony slowly got out of the car and led the way. He knew without looking that Gibbs was at his back. Slipping his key out of his pocket, Tony unlocked his door and pushed through. Gibbs, two steps behind, shut the door and followed Tony into his bedroom. Tony was beginning to get a little creeped out. 

Before Tony could remove his jacket, his cell phone rang. Glancing at the caller ID and spying Ziva’s name he let out a heavy sigh. The last thing he wanted was to deal with her constant questions this morning.

Suddenly the cell phone was snatched out of his hand. Tony’s jaw dropped as he witnessed Gibbs growl. “Gibbs.” Pause. “I know where Tony is…he’s with me. Not that it’s any of your business.” Pause. “We’ll be there when we get there.” 

Snapping the phone shut with finality, Gibbs tossed it onto the bed and sat next to it. “When did you two get married?” he asked, his head tilted to one side. 

Tony snapped his mouth shut when he noticed the smug smile on Gibbs’ face and amused twinkle in his eyes. For some reason it irritated Tony. It occurred to him that it had been almost a month since Gibbs had been in his bedroom. Things had been different then. Enjoyable even. Then Gibbs had decided to call it quits, not once but twice. Tony had needed someone, someone who would care about him, someone like…Jeanne.

“By the way, I plan to take the weekend off,” Tony said as he slipped his jacket on a hanger, smoothing the fabric before putting it into his closet. Slipping off his shoes, he soon had his slacks and tie meticulously put away also. Standing in the closet doorway with his back to Gibbs, Tony deliberately touched the bracelet on his right wrist, a reminder that he had Jeanne now and plans to take her to the Bahamas.

He startled when he felt Gibbs’ hands touch him, massaging his shoulders lightly. 

“I understand the wake for Carson is tomorrow. The funeral the day after. You planning on going?” 

So soon? thought Tony. “No.” He’d liked John; felt they might have become friends if only his life had not been cut short. “It’s not like I really knew him.” God, Gibbs’ hands were caressing the back of his hair, his neck beneath his white shirt. “Ahhh. What is it you want, Boss?”

“I …want…you,” Gibbs whispered into Tony’s ear.

Tony stiffened. Damn the man. “Is it me you want or just the sex?” He held up his wrist, showing off his new bracelet. “Well, too fucking bad, Boss. I’m already taken.”

Gibbs reached around, fingering the bracelet and squinting at the engraving. “Nice. Expensive too. Tony. Love, Jeanne. Mental Ward?”

Tony pulled his wrist away, moving away from the closet and Gibbs. “Private joke.”

Gibbs moved over to the bed, plopping down and stretching out on it with one hand behind his head as if he owned the place. With his other hand, he crooked one finger, beckoning Tony to him and like a fool, Tony went, sitting next to Gibbs, his shoulders slumped. Gibbs ran his hand down the sleeve of Tony’s shirt, getting a grip on Tony’s sleeve, pulling Tony to him. Tony gave up resisting and stretched out on top of Gibbs, resting his head on Gibbs’ chest.

“It’s the sex, of course.” Gibbs said lightly. “Not totally. I don’t picture myself doing it with anyone else,” he admitted. “Just how serious are you with what’s-her-name? What’s she like?”

Tony lay, listening to Gibbs heartbeat through his shirt. You see, that was the problem. He wasn’t quite sure just how serious he was. He was almost positive he loved her, the sex was great. If only he could get her to let him talk to the former boyfriend. “She’s smart, beautiful, funny.” Tony frowned. Where had he heard those words before? 

“Does she know what you do for a living?”

“No.” The word came out rather sharp. It was the one thing that bothered him. He didn’t like living a lie. Rather then think about it he looked up. “Tell me. What’s up with you and Lt. Mann?”

Gibbs’ eyes traveled around the room, looking everywhere but at Tony. “She…er…likes to be on top.”

Tony couldn’t help it. For the first time since John ceased breathing, he laughed. Trying to picture Gibbs letting anyone, especially a woman, take control in any situation much less a sexual one proved impossible. He plucked at Gibbs’ shirt. “We really should get back to work.”

“You just let me worry about that.” Gibbs lifted Tony’s chin with one finger and placed a tender kiss upon his lips. 

Tony was beginning to wonder if he should check the back of Gibbs’ neck for little x’s. If felt nice not to lie about Jeanne to Gibbs and he relaxed, letting Gibbs undress him, take care of him. Tony knew that he shouldn’t be doing this, that it wasn’t fair to Jeanne. Then again, it wasn’t like he was sleeping with one of her girlfriends.


	16. Where Do We Go From Here? (Gibbs POV) Chapter 16-Dead Man Walking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Navy Lieutenant arrives at NCIS with radiation poisoning requesting that the team investigate his murder. The Navy Lieutenant is an inspector for the International Atomic Energy Agency, so the team tries to figure out who would want to make sure he didn't make it to the next inspection. However, only his two closest colleagues knew where the next inspection was to take place. Meanwhile, Ziva sympathizes with the Lieutenant, in whom she sees a reflection of her own most strongly held beliefs and develops feelings for him. It is revealed in the next episode that the Lieutenant had passed away.

“She could have killed you, Boss.”

McGee’s words rang in his head. At that point Gibbs realized he didn’t really care. A young naval lieutenant was losing the battle for his life. The door to Ducky’s domain opened, distracting Gibbs from his thoughts.

Ducky came out of the autopsy room, shaking his head sadly and pulled off his rubber gloves. “I had so hoped I’d never see Lt. Sanders on my table again.”

Gibbs could only nod. This case had been different from their usual case. The victim, in this case Navy Lt. Roy Sanders, had come into N.C.I.S. headquarters requesting they find who was trying to kill him. Unfortunately, though they’d found the how, the why, and the who, it hadn’t saved the man.

The how – a radiation poison introduced into his cigars. The why – he was an inspector for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and one of the countries he was scheduled to inspect had decided it was in their best interest that he did not inspect them. The who – the last person one would have thought. The travel coordinator for Sanders and his colleagues, one Holly Stegman. At the end she’d tried to do a runner, trying to escape in her car. Gibbs had taken a chance, standing in the way of the speeding car, his gun aimed directly at her. The car had stopped with just inches to spare. She’d claimed at the time that she could no more kill Sanders then she could run over Gibbs. No matter what her intentions had been, Sanders was dead and with Sanders’ death, the charges would be upgraded from attempted murder to murder. 

“How is Ziva taking it?” Ducky asked as he led the way back into autopsy, removing his scrubs as he went. 

“In her usual manner. Stoically, pretending she doesn’t care, that it doesn’t matter,” Gibbs glanced around the room, grateful that the body had been put away.

Ducky nodded. “You’ve been grouchy as a bear lately. Not getting any lately?”

Gibbs turned to stare wide eyed at the medical examiner. Had he just heard correctly? Mild-mannered Donald Mallard couldn’t have just asked him…?

“Tony cut you off, did he?” Ducky was putting on his jacket and collecting his hat from the hat rack that stood beside the door.

“Er.” Gibbs was tongue tied. He remembered perfectly well being in Tony’s apartment just a little over a week ago, the morning after Detective Carson’s death. He’d known Tony would be upset about the man’s death. Tony wasn’t hardened like Gibbs was. Gibbs had been so damn horny. He’d almost talked Tony into indulging with him. Almost. At the last minute Tony had stood up to him. Said he couldn’t, he wouldn’t. That it wouldn’t be fair to this Jeanne person. When had Tony developed a spine?

“Good – for - him.” Ducky was in his face.

“Ah. Do you know what you’re saying?”

“Contrary to popular belief I am not naive,” Ducky said sternly. “Though I expect Mr. Palmer thinks I am.”

“You know about that?”

“Him and Agent Lee? Of course! When you…retired, I realized there were things I never knew about you. Since then I’ve kept my eyes and ears open.” Ducky settled his hat upon his head and gave a smug smile. “Now I know all the secrets.”

The two men parted at the elevator to go their separate ways, Ducky to his home and Gibbs to take the back way to the bullpen. Before the elevator closed Ducky called out to his friend. “Have you heard from your mother lately?”

Gibbs couldn’t understand what Ducky meant by that. On top of it, he was more frustrated then he could say. He’d almost had Tony talked into some afternoon delight, but Tony stuck to his guns. Saying he didn’t want to mess the best thing he had with Jeanne. Gibbs had even used the magic word. “Please.” To no avail. To come so close and to lose out. If things kept up like this Gibbs was going to have to give Lt. Mann a call.

“Leeee-roy. Leroy Jethro Gibbs.” 

The shrill call stopped Gibbs in his track. 

“Ma?”

There at the other end of the bull pen stood an elderly lady. Miranda Gibbs, a no-nonsense look about her, stood tall and sturdy in sensible shoes and polyester pants suit, just a head shorter then her son. Her hair, in a cut similar to her son’s, was a darker grey. 

Gibbs was across the intervening distance in an instant, pulling his mother away from the prying eyes of his team.

“Ma, what are you doing here?” he hissed. 

“Can’t a mother see her only son,” Mrs. Gibbs demanded, rather loudly Gibbs thought.

Looking back Gibbs could see Tony’s head craning; Ziva and McGee were standing and looking over the partition that separated him from them. Taking his mother by the elbow, Gibbs steered her to the nearest conference room and locked the door behind them. It had been well over a year since they’d had any contact. She’d made sure he was clothed, fed, and educated, and taken him to church every Sunday but she had never been what he would have called a caring mother. It wasn’t that she was cold; she just never seemed able to relate to her son. After his third marriage they’d decided the least seen of each other the better. That might have seemed cruel, but it worked for them.

She sat primly down in a chair, Gibbs standing across from her, his arms crossed over his chest unconsciously mirroring the way she would look at him whenever he’d done something to displease her. 

“I’m dying.”

“Ma!” The bluntness of the statement caught him by surprise and he dropped into the chair opposite her in shock.

“Cancer. The doctors give me six months.”

Gibbs reached out to cover his mother’s hands with his own.

“Don’t go soft on me, boy.” She withdrew her hands. “I didn’t come here for sympathy. I’ve already made arrangements to be buried next to your pa.” She sat up straight and tall. “I also plan to do something I’ve never done. I plan to enjoy the time I’ve got left.” Her chin went up defiantly. “Leroy…”

“My friends call me Jethro…or Gibbs.”

“Leroy Jethro,” Miranda said softly. She looked off into the distance. “You were such a scrawny little thing. Your pa thought the name might toughen you up. If I’d had my way you would’ve been named Marcus.” Her face softened and a bit of sadness shown through. “One of the reasons I’m here is…well I…I regret not…sticking up for you…when your pa…when you were little.” 

Gibbs was still reeling from the news. They hadn’t been exactly close. Not since…since Shannon and Kelly’s deaths. Her disapproval over his subsequent marriages had not improved matters. 

“You were a much better father then your pa was.” Miranda’s words broke through Gibbs’ thoughts. “You were meant to be a daddy. But most of all I want for you to be happy. I know times are different. Women are more liberated then when I was young. Just remember there’s no need to jump into bed with just anyone.” 

Gibbs hid his mouth behind his hand. What would his mother think if she knew about Tony?

“Don’t waste the rest of your life, Leroy Jethro. Be involved. If a woman can’t give you what you want, try a man.”

“Ma!” His jaw dropped in shock. He couldn’t have heard his mother correctly. Mothers shouldn’t say things like that to their sons.

Miranda looked at her watch. “Oh, dear. Look at the time. I’ve got a plane to catch.” 

As she rose from her chair, Gibbs sat, his arms spread wide. “Ma, you can’t drop a bombshell like this on me and leave!”

There was a twinkle in her eye as she patted her son on one cheek. “I don’t have a lot of time, Leroy. Learning how little I have left has made me see things differently. I could stay here and die a little every day or I can see something of the world. Besides I want you to remember me as I am now, not wasted away.”

“But…but…” Gibbs followed as his mother left the room. He caught sight of three familiar backs beating a hasty retreat. “Ma!”

At the elevator, Miranda turned to her son, a look of apprehension on her face. “You’re not going to get all huggy on me are you?” Gibbs’ blank look seemed to relieve her mind. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep in touch.” As the elevator door opened, she reached into her purse and pulled out an envelope. Then reverting to her normal brusqueness she gave her son one last look. “Here’s my itinerary. A good friend recommended my starting out in Scotland, so that’s what I’m going to do.”

Without a seconds thought, Gibbs pulled his mother to him in a big bear-hug, as he hadn’t done since he was seven and his father told him that hugging was for sissies. When he let her go, he was rewarded by the pleased look on her face and a kiss on the check. Then she was gone.

Turning away from the elevator, Gibbs had a lot going through his mind. He wasn’t too surprised to see three heads ducking behind partitions. Damn. Slowly he walked toward his desk. Tony, Ziva, and McGee all were trying to look busy, not that he was deceived. He quickly contemplated several courses of action. He could ignore them and let them guess at what had occurred. Or he could tell Tony. If he knew Tony, he wouldn’t have to worry about telling the rest of the team. Tony would make sure of that. There was also the benefit that it could lead to a good bit of sympathy on Tony’s part, something Gibbs normally wouldn’t want. That brought him up short. How could he even be thinking of wanting sex with Tony after finding out about his mother? 

Tony looked up just then, concern in his green eyes. 

“Later,” Gibbs mouthed and received a nod in return. Right now there was also the question of the mysterious friend that had recommended Scotland. He had a feeling that he’d get the answer to that when he spotted Ducky waiting, with his hat in his hand, at the other end of the pathway between the rows of desks.


	17. He Didn't Say Goodbye (Tony's POV) Chapter 17-Skeletons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An explosion at a military cemetery mausoleum turns up a skeleton. As they investigate, Ducky discovers that they have turned up the skeleton of more than one body. The team talks to the families to try to find some link between the victims. Meanwhile, Abby is having personal problems

“Love makes you blind.”

Those words echoed in Tony’s mind. When Gibbs had spoken those words in an interrogation room, Tony never thought those words would have a special meaning for him. 

He should have known things would go wrong, starting with when a new ‘mystery woman’ had shown up at NCIS headquarters. Gibbs startled cry of “Ma!” had solved the mystery of her identity, but Tony’s interest had just been whetted. Sadly, after Gibbs had seen the woman off, he had disappeared with Ducky leaving Tony’s curiosity unsatisfied. 

Tony was ready to leave for the day when he heard the ding that indicated he had an e-mail. Opening it, he found the message, “Eight tonight. My place.” Tony looked over at Gibbs, who looked up and tilted his head. Tony didn’t think twice; he nodded his head in agreement.

That night, while standing on Gibbs’ doorstep, Tony wiped his sweaty hands on his pants. Being there might not be such a good idea. Damn, why couldn’t he keep his needing Gibbs’ touch so badly that he could taste it at bay? That was not good – not good at all.

The door opened and Gibbs stood there looking soooo fine. The next thing Tony knew Gibbs had ushered him in, asked him how he was, and making small talk as he led Tony into the dining room. If that wasn’t freaky enough, the dining room table was set complete with white tablecloth and lit candles. Tony swallowed hard and started feeling very apprehensive, as Gibbs solicitously pulled out his chair and offered some wine.

The food was fantastic. A pasta dish that rivaled Tony’s own and he tackled it with a hearty appetite. He was distracted by the fact that Gibbs sat across from him and merely picked at his food. 

“Didn’t know you could cook, boss,” Tony remarked.

A small quirk of a smile passed briefly over Gibbs’ face. “Well after three marriages…I mean four.” Gibbs frowned as if his memory was slipping once again. He toyed with his food and after awhile he let it all out. 

How his father had been the original Macho Man, his mother keeping to the background, letting his father make all the decisions. How he’d gone into sports to please his old man. This had left Tony with an odd feeling of deja vu, as if he was seeing his own life through someone else’s eyes. He hadn’t been aware that Gibbs had been into sports when he was younger. In fact, he had a hard time thinking of Gibbs as being young and he realized there was a lot about the man’s past he didn’t know.

“She’s dying.” The words, softly spoken broke through Tony’s reverie. “My mother came back into my life to tell me she’s dying.”

Tony sat in shocked silence. He looked down at his plate. “Gee, Boss. I don’t know what to say.”

“There’s nothing to say.” Gibbs sighed. “She’s evidently accepted that her time is short. She’s going to travel, she says, and that’s okay. I mean, she’s got every right to enjoy the time left to her. The thing I can’t get over is that Ducky knew my mother.”

“So Ducky knew your mother.” What was the big deal about that?

“I mean he ‘knew’ her. In the biblical sense.”

Tony choked on a bite of food. When his coughing fit stopped, he said, “Holy shit.”

“That’s stating it mildly.” 

There had been a certain grimness to Gibbs’ statement that led Tony to believe that Gibbs hadn’t exactly come to terms with the knowledge. Geeze, Tony wasn’t even sure he wanted to go there. If he knew someone close to him had had sex with his mom! 

“Jethro, if there’s anything I can do…” Tony knew there probably wasn’t but felt he should offer.

Gibbs’ hand covered Tony’s. “Actually there is something you can do.” Gibbs had looked down at the table, his thumb making small circles on top of Tony’s hand, sending sparks of excitement through him and he bit back on a groan of desire. “It was really strange. She… she actually suggested…” Gibbs laughter sounded nervous; he’d raised his eyes giving Tony that pleading look that alarmed him.

Tony withdrew his hand. No. No. They were not going there. He had Jeanne and he couldn’t afford to mess it up. Tony wasn’t going to fall into that trap again.

Tony made it to the front door, even had the door opened, before his resolve weakened. He could feel the heat from Gibbs’ body behind him. Taking a deep cleansing breath, he turned and shoved Gibbs forcefully against the wall next to the door bringing their bodies together. Gibbs’ blue eyes widened, his mouth opened, whether to complain or demand more Tony would never know. He dived right in, invading Gibbs’ mouth with his tongue. When he finally did pull away, Gibbs had gotten a grip on Tony’s face and returned the kiss greedily. After that, the results were a forgone conclusion.

Breathing heavily, Tony pulled away, ran his tongue over his own kiss-swollen lips and grabbed the front of Gibbs’ shirt, crinkling the fabric. Half pulling, half pushing, with one of his hand he guided the older man up the stairways. With his other hand Tony began undressing, removing his jacket and shirt, littering the staircase as they maneuvered their way toward the bedroom. At the top of the staircase he loosened his grip on Gibbs’ shirt long enough to start relieving Gibbs of his clothing. Bare chest to bare chest, they kissed long and hard again. He could feel Gibbs’ hardness brushing against his own. Despite the urgency of his needs, Tony stopped in the doorway, hesitant to enter. If Colonel Mann had been anywhere near this bed... 

“Women like to sleep in their own beds,” Gibbs insisted, almost as if he had read Tony’s mind. 

A Gibbs-deprived Tony was not a nice Tony. He managed to finish stripping Gibbs and push him down on the bed in a matter of seconds. He needed this and Gibbs needed it, Tony had no doubts about that. Gibbs was a fire that consumed him. Tony licked his lips and began making a feast of the body lying across the bed. He licked his way down, stopping to bite on first one tit, then the other, marking Gibbs’ chest. Gibbs arched beneath him, demanding Tony take matters into his hand. Sitting back on his heels, in between Gibbs’ legs, Tony looked deeply into Gibbs’ eyes that glared at him in exasperation. 

With a wicked smile, he dived right in and took Gibbs into his mouth, licking and sucking until he’d sucked the man dry. When he was finished, he licked his lips enjoying the look of a sated Gibbs. A madness came over him and he gathered the pre-cum that dripped from his hard cock. Without further ado, he leaned over Gibbs, kissed him lightly on the lip as he brought his fingers to Gibbs’ hole, working them into the opening. Gibbs’ eyes widened with shock, but he was so sated there was nothing he could have done even if Tony had given him the chance. Knowing that this would probably be the only occasion he had to enjoy this particular pleasure, Tony smothered any protest Gibbs might have made with kisses. 

When he felt that everything was in readiness, Tony debated doing this bareback and discarded the idea. Fortunately, he carried a condom with him at all times and he quickly located his pants, finding the required item. Slipping it on, he watched Gibbs as he scooted backwards toward the head of the bed. A devilish smile crossed Tony’s lips as he gripped Gibbs’ ankle and pulled him back down toward him. Gibbs’ chest was heaving, his eyes sparkling with fear and desire. Gibbs wanted this, Tony was sure of it. Never had he felt anything like the bliss of sliding into what he assumed was virginal territory. He paused briefly when Gibbs groaned in pain, proceeding only when Gibbs wrapped his legs around him encouraging him further inside. 

Tony doubted he would have tried this if not for McGee’s book and the explicit details that it contained. Those details spurred him on and finally with a loud cry, Tony emptied himself into the condom, filling it with his seed. Collapsing atop Gibbs, he lay spent for a few minutes before rolling off of Gibbs’ body. Gibbs, he noticed was fast asleep, a satisfied smile on his face.

Tony lay there for a while and tried to sort out his emotions before getting up and leaving. He had considered giving up Jeanne and all they had going for them and cursed the Director for talking him into this. In the end, it didn’t matter. He didn’t even have a chance to bask in the after-glow. There were things Tony needed to tell Gibbs, but Tony didn’t get a chance. The very next day they caught a case and Colonel Mann was back in their lives as if she’d never left. 

The day had started out like any other. No, that wasn’t quite true. Abby was acting way out of character, cheating Tony out of a dollar to buy a candy bar she didn’t like. While they were trying to figure out why, Gibbs swung by. “Grab your gear. We’ve got an explosion at a Marine’s funeral at James River National.”

In Tony’s opinion, this case had to be the most disgusting one he’d ever worked on. There was a revolting amount of what appeared to be melted-down body parts scattered on the floor in the mausoleum. Ducky had waxed on about how they’d gotten that way and Tony had tuned him out. Back at N.C.I.S., one thing led to another and what started out looking like the remains of two bodies had turned into body parts belonging to at least five different people. He heard through the grapevine that Ducky and Palmer were calling it another “meat puzzle”. 

While Tony was kept busy trying to identify the remains, Abby spotted two more plaques that looked to have been disturbed and the chase was on. One of the crypts belonged to an Anson Cage; the other to Colonel Raymond Dalton. Tony got the job of interviewing the next of kin and getting permission to open the vaults. Unfortunately, his interview with Dalton’s granddaughter had not gone well. She refused to give permission and they had ended up getting a court order.

That got Colonel Mann’s attention. Tony had not been pleased when she’d shown up and at first it looked as if Gibbs shared his displeasure. It was like watching a ping-pong match as the two exchanged innuendoes. Tony barely managed to restrain a grin upon learning that it had been four weeks since Gibbs and Mann had seen each other, only to have the rug pulled out from under him when Gibbs ordered Ziva and him to patrol the perimeter while he went inside the mausoleum alone with Mann. 

If that wasn’t bad enough, Ziva and McGee decided to tease him, blaming him for Mann’s presence. According to them, if he’d only flirted with Col. Dalton’s granddaughter, they insisted, there would have been no need for a warrant. It wouldn’t have been so bad if they hadn’t been right. He’d gone out of his way to resist coming on to her, not wanting to be unfaithful. But to whom, Jeanne or Gibbs?

As far as Gibbs was concerned, Tony hoped he didn’t have reason to worry. After all, Colonel Mann wasn’t a redhead, Gibbs main weakness when it came to women. However, as the case went on and Mann became more involved, it appeared that his qualms were warranted after all.

To keep his mind off his troubles, Tony reverted to the technique that tended to work best for him. Verbally he reviewed what they knew about the case to this point. Ziva and McGee threw in bits and pieces. By going back and forth between them, they managed to link a certain Len Grady to one of the victims. Grady’s mother. A little more digging into his background produced a link with another one of the dead. It was enough for Gibbs to order Grady picked up.

Things didn’t get better. Waiting for Grady to show up, Tony had tried to finagle something out of Gibbs. To get him to talk about Mann. To get some idea of where she and Gibbs stood. Instead, Gibbs closed down. “We wait…silently.”

Shame Grady had shown up just then. Tony would have really liked to sound Gibbs out on how he felt about Mann, about Mann’s meeting with Jenn. But that was in the past. After that, there was no time. Tony, Ziva, and McGee had searched Grady’s house finding out that Grady was a Jack-of-all-Trades and had cutlery all over the place.

Tony didn’t hang around for Grady’s interrogation. He was too busy making sure the evidence got to Abby and putting out a BOLO for Grady’s van. McGee had filled him in on Mann’s insights. The fact that she thought there was someone worse than Grady out there. A monster.

Mann had taken over, giving orders and Tony resented it. Worse still, Gibbs had let her get away with it. Between the team members they had managed to connect the dots leading to the one person who was both a butcher and knew Grady. Natalie Dawson. Colonel Dawson’s granddaughter. She, of course, denied knowledge of everything. The only thing they learned was that she’d taught Grady her profession. Grady hadn’t handled watching her being interviewed very well and, not surprisingly, confessed to all the murders. Gibbs’ guts weren’t buying it though. Gibbs ordered Natalie’s release and ordered her followed. In the end he and Mann had gone together to find the monster – alone, just the two of them. And Tony knew that once again he’d been played for a fool.

Gibbs’ words to Natalie once again played through his mind. “Love makes you blind.”


	18. Where Do We Go From Here? (Gibbs POV) Chapter 18-Iceman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the man on Ducky's table turns out to still be alive the unit must track the young Marine's actions prior to his arrival in the morgue. They discover that the marine had been on leave and used his time off for a secret trip to Baghdad. The case takes a turn when Mike Franks - Gibbs' old boss shows up revealing that the young marine is in fact his son.

Family. He walked away just having finished watching the cab pull away taking with it Mike Franks along with his son’s girlfriend and her baby. The son, Liam O’Neil, was the starting point for this case. Gibbs slowly walked back to his car deep in thought. Mike Franks a father. It had been hard enough picturing Mike a father, much less a grandfather. Once inside his car he sat and shook his head. He was still getting his head wrapped around Mike having a family when someone rapped on the passenger side window. One glance told him it was Tony. He should have known.

“You just gonna sit there all day?” Tony asked, then opened the passenger door and slid in.

“How did you find me?” Gibbs snapped.

Tony just raised a brow as if to say ‘do you have to ask?’

Gibbs drummed his fingers on the steering wheel irritably and sighed. “What do you want, DiNozzo?”

Tony looked away. “We need to talk, Boss.”

Since when was Tony talking to him? It seemed that throughout this entire case that Tony had been elsewhere. “Some other time.”

Tony look stunned, but Gibbs refused to give an inch. He just sat there staring at Tony until he got out of the car, then put it in gear and drove off.

NCIS

Back at the office it was shift change and just about everyone was gone. Gibbs turned on his light and looked at the stack of reports on his desk. His face was grim as he picked up the first report. Ducky’s he noted. Seeing as this case had started out in Ducky’s domain it somehow seemed appropriate.

Flipping open to the first page he noted that Ducky’s writing is neat and precise as always. Details, like time of death, liver temp, weight of each organ. And the pictures, usually pictures didn’t affect him. These did.

He shut his eyes, listening to Ducky’s voice as he recited from his report. Corporal Liam Michael O’Neil, twenty-four years old, found face-down in Montrose Park at six o’clock in the morning. It had been so damn cold that night that the police couldn’t find a heartbeat and had pronounced him dead.

Gibbs could only imagine how shocked Ducky must have been when he started to make a chest incision and Liam started breathing on the autopsy table. 

It was the lump on his left temporal area that made Ducky suspicious. That followed by finding bruising on the back and side of his neck led Ducky to believe he was struck on the side of the head, his face pushed into the snow violently held by his neck until he stopped trashing. That meant that this could not be ruled an accident, it was definitely attempted murder. Sadly it was Ducky’s opinion that the Corporal wouldn’t make it. Gibbs opened his eyes to read the last line in the report. Body sent to Mexico per Mike Franks’ request.

After he signed off on the report, Gibbs tossed the folder away and leaned back in his chair. He remembered going to the hospital with Ziva to check on Liam. His records showed he had no living relatives. That flew only until Gibbs entered Liam’s room and found Mike Franks there. To learn that Liam was Mikes’ son – that made this personal. It pained Gibbs that there was nothing that could be done to save the boy. Though technically he was still alive, he’d been in the freezing snow too long.

Gibbs fully intending to find out who had done this to Liam O’Neil. After all he owed Mike…big time. When Gibbs had taken his ‘sabbatical’ the year before having lost and regained memories best forgotten Mike had taken him in, letting his stay at his shack in Mexico until he was ready to face the world again. 

Setting those thoughts aside, he picked up Ziva’s report. Hers read much the way he expected except for the side comments on Tony’s commitment issues that have nothing whatsoever to do with the case. McGee and Abby had managed to get Liam’s cell working and one of the calls on his cell phone was to Jalil Shaloub of Pagoda Investment. According to Ziva’s report h was considered a person of interest by Homeland Securities. Her report of their interview with the man was completely factual if a little short. 

Claimed to have seen O’Neil two days previously wanting a loan of twenty-five thousand dollars. Shaloub refused, said it was a bad risk. 

Shortly after that interview Liam O’Neil was taken off his respirator and Mike disappeared. The general consensus was that Mike was out for revenge and McGee had put out a bolo on his rental car. As soon as Mike’s car was located, Gibbs and the team set out and had unfortunately located a gun under the seat upon searching. Things had not looked good for Mike.

Now it was time to read McGee’s version of the events. With each report it was like reliving the whole damn case. McGee’s held so much detail to it you would have thought he was writing a god damn book. Gibbs skimmed through the pages checking for pertinent details and reading every third word or so. He and Abby managed to get access to O’Neils’ cell phone. Five calls to Fast Flight – owner Nick Taylor. O’Neil used Fast Flights to return to Bagdad where he had been deployed. 

Eventually cracked password for O’Neils’ voice mail account. Last call was from Nick Taylor saying his merchandise was in, wanting double the amount agreed upon. Raided Fast Flights – found three bodies. Nick Taylor and two others. Nick Taylor evidently ran a passenger service for bad guys. Packing crate containing blankets, water bottles, and a Koran. 

Finally there was the report on another interview with Jalil Shaloub where he admitted to being a silent partner with Fast Flights. Gibbs didn’t have to read this to know what was said. Thanks to finding sodium silicate on Shaloubs shoes they were able to connect him to the murders. Shaloub confessed to killing Taylor but insisted that Taylor was responsible for O’Neil’s death. Case solved.

Gibbs skipped over the rest and picked up Abby’s report. There was, of course a full report on cell phone, the details on the green substance found in O’Neils’ pocket which turned out to be henna, a die used in tattoos. There was also confirmation on the gun found in Franks’ rental car which proved to be the murder weapon. Not to mention a detailed report on the white substance used in glass making that was found in the glock and proof positive that it was the murder weapon for the three victims found at Fast Flights. 

“Boss?”

Gibbs looked up to find McGee standing in front of him. “What, McGee?”

“Well…ah…I was helping Abby put things up in the evidence locker and…um…the Koran appears to be missing.”

“I’ll take care of it,” Gibbs assured him, not wanting to let on that he’d given it back to the owner. After all it did belong to O’Neils’ girlfriend, she had been in hiding for six month because her family had disapproved of her relationship with Liam and he had been desperate to bring her to the United States. 

McGee didn’t question Gibbs, but there was a doubtful look on his face when he left. Gibbs went to reach for the next folder…and there wasn’t one. A frown settled on his face. Where the hell was Tony’s?

Gibbs had searched all over. His desk, Tony’s desk, hell, he’d even searched McGee’s and Ziva’s. Eventually he gave up and headed for home.

 

Entering his living room, Gibbs was surprised to find Tony sitting on his couch drinking a beer. Gibbs shook his head, people were always telling he that he should lock his door.

“Okay, where’s your report?” Gibbs demanded.

Tony got off the couch and began pacing. “We went rock climbing. Fucking rock climbing and she gets pissed off because I won’t say I love her.”

What the fuck! Just how much had he had to drink? Tony wasn’t making much sense.

“Now she won’t talk to me,” Tony ranted. “It’s not good, Boss. Not good at all.”

A bright lightbulb flashed in Gibbs head. He was talking about that girl, the one he was always talking to on the phone. Gibbs could have told him this would happen. Been there, done that. Tony was obviously wound up tighter than a kite. In a way Gibbs could actually commiserate with him. He too had a tendency to hold back commitment when what he really wanted to do is jump in with both feet.

Licking his lips, Gibbs weaved his fingers with Tony’s and led him toward the stairs.

“Boss, I don’t think…” Tony paused, stopping their advancement.

“That’s your problem, DiNozzo. You’re not thinking with your head.” Gibbs tapped his temple so that Tony would get the idea. “You need to relax. I’m told that massage does wonders.”

Tony’s eyes grew wide. “You mean like the one you gave Stan Burley?” 

Gibbs smirked. That massage had been just that, a massage after a grueling softball game, though his third wife hadn’t thought so. She’d hit him in the head with a baseball bat. “Besides someone sent me some massage oil one Christmas along with some Honey Dust. Might as well try it out.”

He jerked pulling Tony upwards and missed seeing Tony’s face go red. At the top of the stairs, Gibbs gave Tony a firm shove toward the bedroom while he went in search of the massage oil. 

When Gibbs returned with the promised oil raised in triumph only to find Tony still fully dressed, he frowned in disappointment. “Massages work best if you’re not clothed.”

Tony bit his lower lip, then started to undress. When he stopped with just his boxers on, Gibbs heaved a sigh and shook his head. With reluctance Tony removed the boxers quickly covering his privates.

Motioning for Tony to lie down, Gibbs, fully dressed, climbed on the bed and straddled Tony’s body. Warming the oil in the palms of his hand, Gibbs started at the back of Tony’s neck, kneading the muscles, then slowly moved down to his shoulders, and across his shoulder blades. He could feel Tony relaxing as he brought his hands down his spine. 

Scooting back on his thighs and adding more oil to his hands, he moved to massage Tony’s gluteus maximus. The soft murmur of satisfaction coming from Tony caused Gibbs to smile and he slowly unzipped his pants with one hand while continuing the massage with the other. 

Quietly he ripped open the condom that he’d manage to palm when he had retrieved the oil. Maybe not so quietly. He’d no sooner removed his other hand to put it over his dick, when Tony started to turn over. By that time it was too late, Gibbs managed to slip his arms underneath Tony’s knees and leaning forward bending him in half.

“What are you doing?” Tony asked panicking.

“Taking unfair advantage of you,” Gibbs answered wickedly, pushing inside Tony in one swift movement, his cock nudging the knot inside Tony. Tony’s breath caught on each and every stroke. Looking into Tony’s eyes Gibbs could see that he loves it. “Bet what’s her name can’t do this for you.”


	19. He Didn't Say Goodbye (Tony's POV) Chapter 19-Grace Period

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An NCIS team, led by Paula Cassidy, discovers a tip about terrorist activity but it turns out to be a trap, resulting in the death of two agents and Cassidy, grief-stricken begins blaming herself for what happened. Gibbs and his team are sent to investigate the deaths with Cassidy joining them during the investigation. While Ducky is sure that the man who Cassidy received the tip from was dead at least one day before the explosion, Cassidy insists otherwise. At the end, Paula Cassidy dies in an explosion, much to Tony's sadness.

“I love you,” Tony finally told Jeanne as he held her close. Partly because it was true and he wasn’t sure he’d ever get another chance to tell her and partly because he wasn’t sure that his feelings toward Gibbs was returned. Living a double life wasn’t easy, but he was getting surprisingly good at it.

The next morning he woke and slipped out of bed leaving a sated Jeanne behind. Inside he still felt empty and sleeping with Jeanne hadn’t changed anything though for some reason he had hoped it would. 

None of that changed the fact that Paula Cassidy was dead. He remembered the first time he’d met her like it was yesterday. The case they were investigating taking them to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. She worked for NCIS as an interrogator back then. They had gone there to investigate her which had led whatever relationship they eventually developed to a rocky start.

Their next meeting was the following year. Paula had been transferred to the Kennedy whose ships’ safety officer Michael Doren had gone up in flames - literally. They’d hooked up a time or two in between, but hadn’t stayed in touch. One of the suspects was an Evan Hayes who worked in the ships engineering company and according to Paula, Doren had been especially hard on the kid, as Paula termed it ‘he rode his ass’. So much that Hayes considered committing suicide. In the end he’d been proven innocent, but not before Kate…Tony closed his eyes remembering. Kate had shot Hayes. Death by cop was how Gibbs phrased it. Even after all the intervening years Tony had never been sure that she’d forgiven herself for that.

The very next year Paula had been assigned to work with them temporarily following Kate’s death. Kyle Boone, a serial killer facing execution, had tried to mess with Gibbs’ head. Big mistake.

Boone had twenty-two deaths, all women, to his credit before Gibbs caught him. He’d been imprisoned for the last ten years when they manage to find his killing ground and a recent victim who had been Ducky proved had been murdered only a week previously. Paula almost lost her life during that one. Kyle Boone, using his lawyer, attempted to make her his last victim in a failed attempt to get a stay of execution. It hadn’t worked. 

Tony smiled; his eyes glistened as he remembered the way that Gibbs head slapped him for letting Paula get to him. Back then he’d never dreamed that Gibbs and he would have…he shook his head…had a relationship. 

Paula had gone on to head her own team. A team that she lost to a suicide bomber. The sad thing was that it shouldn’t have happened. It wouldn’t have happened if Gibbs and his team hadn’t asked for that weekend off. Gibbs had been in a foul mood ever since. The odd thing was that Ducky insisted the guy whom they suspected of being the bomber had died at least one day before he blew himself up. 

The man had worked for Kertek Computing, a company that made software for disabled people. Abby established Yahzeed Fahad’s voice was the voice that called, warning of a terrorist attack had been talking to Paula just moments before the building that the meet was supposed to take place blew up. 

Tony worked with Paula to find out how her team had come to their end. He’d even told Paula about Jeanne and that he was unable to tell her that he loved her. Paula said that life was too short not to tell her. Paula was right but what she didn’t know was that could also apply to Gibbs. 

Tony managed to find a secret passage way leading to the store next to it, a former magic shop. Then Ducky figured out how Yahzeed had died. He’d been smothered by latex that someone used to make a mask. The real killer had used Yahzeed’s face and voice pattern to throw NCIS off the track.

They found a letter written in Arabic on the killer’s body announcing that a covenant from Mecca sponsored by the Muslin Coalition for Peace was planning on a conference for Friday. The Coalition for Peace, bah. It was the Director’s decision that NCIS, Gibbs team specifically, would guard the clerics attending the conference. 

Unexpectedly the clerics decided to hold a memorial for the agents that had died. That was how Paula sacrificed her own life, when another suicide bomber, another terrorist tried to blow them all up. 

Tony couldn’t help feeling guilty; after all it should have been them.

“Tony?”

He turned at the sound of Gibbs’ voice. Now was the time to follow Paula’s advice. 

“I love you, Boss.”


	20. Where Do We Go From Here? (Gibbs POV) Chapter 20-Cover Story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During the murder investigation of a Petty Officer, McGee is unsettled when elements of the crime scene resemble the descriptions in his new novel, which is half-finished. The only person who had access to McGee's book, other than McGee himself, is his publisher. The killer promises two more kills and when the second body is found, McGee is pressured to determine who the killer plans to kill next.

“I love you, Boss.”

Gibbs stood there, shocked at the words, as Tony casually walked away. He had just gotten to work, fresh cup of coffee in his hand and entered the elevator. Tony was already there. Then he hits him with that and leaves! WTF was Tony thinking when he said that? He knew the rules! 

Gibbs almost dropped his coffee. He was more or less still reeling from their last case, he did not need this. Eventually the elevator doors started to close and Gibbs figured that he’d deal with this later. He walked with trepidation to the team’s area. McGee was busy on his computer; Ziva was talking on the phone. And Tony, Tony was putting his gun away. He looked up and said, “Morning, Boss.” That was all, just that as if nothing had happened.

Gibbs was tempted to check if there were any dots on the back of DiNozzo’s neck.

Eventually things got close to being back to normal. Then they got called out on a case that would involve McGee in his alter-ego of Thom E. Gemcity. It was true that this was not the first case that McGee had been the focal point of.

It all started with an overcooked bird, a trashed house, when the firefighters found blood on the stairway they called in NCIS. The house, they learned, was leashed to a petty officer, Darren Cove. He had no roommates, but a fridge full of beer. That only served to make the many cups of mixed drinks scattered around seem out of place. That and the note: One Down, Two To Go.

Now the petty officer was missing along with his blue Ford Ranger. The Ranger, an oversized pair of fuzzy dice hanging from the rearview window, was found abandoned along Hwy 5. The first of many clues that would lead them into looking closer at McGee’s new book.

Gibbs walked into the lab to find Abby showing off her bartending skills. She said she learned her craft working for her Uncle Teddy who owned a bar on Canal Street. Her goal was to recreate the drinks that had been scattered around the crime scene, but one of the drinks defied her knowledge of mixing drinks. The ingredients were not listed together in any of the bartending books.

That was when McGee came in and put two and two together. The drink was his creation. He’d named it a Harry Hangover and the missing Petty Officer – it turned out that he was a character from his next book. Everything about this case was pointing to McGee’s unfinished book, Rock Hollow, the Continuing Adventure of L.J. Tibbs. Gibbs was not flattered. Somehow someone had to have read the unfinished copy that he’d recently sent to his publisher. But how?

After McGee’s first book ‘Deep Six’ became a success, the publisher began receiving fan mail some of Gemcity’s fans that they classified as downright weird. Ducky was called upon to do a psychological profile on the letters, linking three of the letters to the same person. It was his opinion that the writer was becoming increasingly delusional, that he believed Timothy’s story was real. 

Solving this case should have been simple seeing that someone was using McGee’s new book as a blueprint. The problem was that McGee had yet to write who the killer actually was. When his muse came back McGee was going to have work on the ending so they could catch the killer.

Gibbs decided that since McGee used real people to base his story on that they would have better luck if they followed the trail of Cameron Mayer, the character in the book. Mayer was based on Petty Officer Cove and sure enough by doing so they found his body, not only his, but another body as well. McGee only needed one look at the body to verify that it was a passing stranger that he used to base his character of Gerard Brenner.

This was turning out to be one hell of a case. 

McGee was feeling guilty, and that was something Gibbs did not want to deal with. Because of his book two people were now dead, and the rest of the characters had been loosely based on the team. That meant everyone on the team was a potential target. Gibbs immediately assigned protection for Abby, Ducky, and Palmer.

NCIS

“Hi, Boss. What ‘cha doin?”

Caught by surprise, Gibbs looked up from his contemplation. “Thought you went home.”

Tony, hands behind his head, leaned back in his chair. “Just got back from Tim’s place.” He rolled his eyes. “Though I’d go over Probie’s rough draft, now that we know how whoever it is got his information.”

Gibbs considered that statement. “Wanna share?”

“Our little award winning author, didn’t think about his typewriter cartridge when he finished with it.”

“So whoever is doing this got it out of the garbage?”

“That’s my guess.”

Gibbs shook his head he did not want to read McGee’s new book; he hadn’t bother to read the last book. Still he might have to if they were to solve this case. Unless… “Let’s take this from the top again. Run through the list of characters for me.” In spite of all his faults Tony was a top agent and Gibbs had to admit his methods got results.

Tony was agreeable. He picked up his marked copies and cleared his throat. “Let’s start off with the star of this little missive.” Here his voice deepened. “L.J. Tibbs. The leader of our merry band, he is not happy. He drinks hard and is building a boat in his basement.”

Gibbs rolled his eyes.

“In this book he has a romantic love interest. Interesting enough she is an army…a lieutenant colonel.”

Gibbs glared. He did not like that his personal life was being loudly proclaimed in McGee’s book; no matter how many times Tim maintained that it was not based on the team. He knew better then to believe that even though he hadn’t read the first book. “I know damn well who she is. You want me to smack you upside the head, DiNozzo?” 

“No, Boss. Let’s move on to Officer Lisa.”

Gibbs tried to hide his smile at the way Tony pronounced Leeesah.

Tony continued lightheartedly. “Officer Lisa has a broken heart, the memento she keeps from a relationship that never had a chance to happen. On to Agent Tommy. Tibbs’ lead agent, he and Lisa pour out their hearts to each other one night and reveal their secrets. And Tommy tries to explain the profound nature his identity crisis. ”

“What crisis?” Gibbs asked.

“The hidden struggle of who he is and what he’s becoming. I don’t even know what that means.” Tony shook his head. “Moving on. Special Agent McGregor. Well we know who that character is based on. Let’s skip over to the next character.

Goth Forensic Scientist Amy Sutton. At the end of ‘Deep Six’ she broke up with her boyfriend because she was digging someone else. Abby wants to know who that somebody else is.”

“Do you know?”

“Yeah, but no way am I going to be the one to tell her. It will just make her angry.” Tony paused thoughtfully. “Did I tell you that Abby thinks he’s gay. Cause “Amy” always wants what Amy cannot have. That’s a direct quote by the way.”

“I was there, and Abby said that’s not what happens.”

“That’s because she hasn’t read the first half of the book, Boss.” Tony decided it was time to change the subject. “That just leaves Cameron Meyers and Gerald Brenner.” He frowned as he shuffled through the pages. “There’s not a whole lot here except for their descriptions, evidently they are notorious playboys.”

“That’s because they were in my notes.”

Gibbs’ and Tony’s heads jerked in McGee’s direction. McGee threw down a notebook containing his typewritten notes. 

“Meyers and Brenner had two things in common. They extorted money and both murdered a convenience store clerk. One of my many possible endings involved their killing McGregor.”

“That means he’s trying to protect you,” Was Gibbs supposition. “So who’s the third person who wants you dead?”

“I haven’t decided yet.” McGee shrugged. “But Meyers and Brenner were the only characters who wanted me dead.”

“Wait a moment.” Tony was skimming through McGee’s notes. “Forensic specialist Amy Sutton offered her heart to Agent McGregor only to be rejected. Using sign language she tells her deaf mother that she can’t live without him and he is going to have to go.”

“Abby! The third person he’s planning to kill is Abby.” Gibbs was up and heading for the door before the words were even out of his mouth.

“She’s staying with Sister Rosita and the girls. You know her bowling team.”

“The bowling nuns.” Tony threw out for Gibbs benefit.

They arrived just in time to stop the guy who worked at the coffee shop McGee frequented from shooting Abby. McGee, thinking quickly, ended up convincing him that McGregor and Abby were going to get married and if he really wanted to protect McGregor it wasn’t by shooting the woman he loved.

As Tony carted the misguided killer out, Abby got a grip on McGee and insisted that Amy and McGregor couldn’t marry because they were all wrong for each other.

NCIS

Back in his basement Gibbs’ body followed the movement of his hands as he hand-sanded the boat. He paused, blowing the sawdust off and ran the tips of his fingers along the smooth-as-silk wood. Gibbs glanced up; a small smile played across his lips, as Tony slowly came down the stairs, an open book in his hands.

“What ‘cha reading, DiNozzo?”

“McGee’s new book,” Tony said as stopped on the final step and turned another page. “It just came out.”

“Not interest,” Gibbs said as he went back to sanding.

“You mean to tell me that L.J. Tibbs doesn’t want to know who Amy Sutter’s lastest love interest is?” Tony winked.

“Nope.” Gibbs looked up sharply as he heard a sudden intake of breath from Tony. Tony looked shocked. Now Gibbs was interested and a little worried. “Don’t tell me he put us in that stupid book?”

“Noooo.” Tony drew out the word. “You remember me telling you that McGregor rejected Amy?”

Gibbs brows drew together as he grunted his acknowledgement.

Tony was chewing on his thumb. “Ummm, it turns out that the reason he rejected her was because Tommy and McGregor had something going.”

Gibbs stared in disbelieve, then his head dropped back as he burst out laughing.


	21. He Didn't Say Goodbye (Tony's POV) Chapter 21-Brothers in Arms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Director Shepard meets an informant named Troy Webster who has information on international arms dealer La Grenouille but Webster is killed. Shepard later becomes convinced that La Grenouille ordered the kill but the team are all doubting her judgment, believing she might be on a personal revenge trip which is further increased when she manages to lead the team into a trap, leaving them with no clues to La Grenouille's whereabouts after days of investigations.

The more Tony thought about the ending of McGee's book 'Deep Six', the more he worried that Gibbs thought something was going on between him and McGee. He wasn't exactly certain why it bothered him. After all, Tony, in spite of actions to the contrary, was totally infatuated with Jeanne Boinet. He kept trying to talk himself out of wanting Gibbs - sexually - but he wasn't having much success. 

Right now, though, he was more worried about the Director. She was up to something and he wasn't in on it. He wondered what she was thinking of - meeting a homeless man in the worst part of town. Only he wasn't homeless. Whatever she was there for it was obvious that the meet hadn't gone down the way Jen expected it to and the man was shot. Two shots to the chest and one to the head. 

As usual the team went through everything they'd managed to find out about the victim. Troy Webster as it turned out was a certified CPA who never met a dollar he couldn't launder. His number one client was La Grenouille and Jen was convinced that La Grenouille was responsible for Webster's murder. It was confusing as hell when Gibbs started giving the team their orders only to have Jen interrupt giving much the same orders only insisting that any information they collect come directly to her. Tony, Ziva, and McGee all exchanged looks wondering exactly whose directions they should be following. When the Gibbs and the Director walked away, Tony couldn't help but wish he could be a fly on the wall in the Director's office sure that Gibbs was going to chew her a new asshole. 

Everyone on the team had an assignment to work on. Abby and McGee's was to get information off Webster's smart phone and when they accidentally destroyed any information that might have been on there, from what Tony heard he was glad he wasn't there to see how angry Jen got. According to Abby it was scary. 

When Abby informed Tony that she had wanted to see him downstairs he brought McGee and Ziva with him. He was through keeping secrets. It turned out that she found blood on the shards of glass that the Director had shattered when she'd fired her gun at the vehicle leaving the scene after shooting Webster. Enough to run tests on. But that wasn't why she had called Tony. The reason was what she had found in the glove compartment of the Director's car. A pair of skimpy panties. Abby wanted to know how the Director wanted that information handled and she wasn't about to ask. Tony didn't want to ask either, only he ended up drawing the short straw. That was when Tony found out Fornell was working with them as liaison with the CIA. According to Jen, Fornell claimed to have drawn the short straw. Funny how things work out, Tony never did get around to asking about the panties. 

Abby managed to trace the blood found on the glass shards to a guy with a mutant gene. He had a rare disease, Gaucher's disease that required him to take a drug called Ceredas. The medication he was on was only carried by three pharmacies in a hundred mile radius and there was only one patient taking it. Unfortunately once they got to the apartment where the guy lived, they were too late. The guy was dead. 

That was the good news, the bad was that Jeanne's mother was in town and she wanted to meet Tony. So that was how he ended up at a fancy restaurant practicing how to say hello. Jeanne's mother was a doctor and she didn't seem to thrilled that Tony was sleeping with her daughter. She didn't want to see Jeanne hurt the way Jeanne's father had hurt her.

Tony had planned on spending time with Jeanne after the meal with her mother. Unfortunately her mother was staying with her and he had no intention of having sex with her around.

Somehow Jen found out that the only man that La Grenouille would trust to carry out a hit was an Andre Jones. The team surrounded the location ready to take Jones down. The Director was in contact with them the whole time and she was adamant that they make sure he was able to talk. She needed a confession in order to prove that La Grenouille had ordered the hit. Regrettably Jones went for his gun and they had no choice but to fire back. Sadly Jen was having no luck trying to pin anything, on La Grenouille. All they had was the dead guy's word that he had tried to do La Grenouille a favor. 

Thanks to McGee's suggestion, Abby managed to trace certain facts from Jone's cellphone and bank records. After an encrypted satellite phone call comes in, a large payment to an off shore account goes out. Then like Swiss clockwork forty-eight hours later his GPS signal would go off grid. Twenty-four hours previous, Andre Jones had gotten a phone call. The number was one that Abby recognized. It was the same number that La Grenouille had used to contact Charles Harrow. There was only one problem and that was figuring out where the arms shipment was coming in.

Just how was the arm shipment going to be traced? There was only two ways to get an EUC certificate, one was to have a third world general on the payroll-or to use an exceptionally good forger. Fortunately Kort was able to give them a name. It was a shame that the art teacher come forger didn't know where the shipment was located. All he knew was the import company name that he issued it under.

The team working together managed to locate the crate and soon they were all following the port authority to the cargo container that held the evidence the Director needed to snare La Grenouille. Except for the fact that the arms in the container weren't lethal, they were squirt guns. Jen Shepard had nothing on the Frog and she was not happy.

That night Tony, McGee, Ducky and Gibbs got together for drinks to commiserate the fact that Webster was not murdered by La Grenouille.

"Le Grenouille never had plans to kill Webster. He merely planned to use that shipment of squirt guns to discredited the man." Was Ducky's final assessment.


	22. Where Do We Go From Here? (Gibbs POV) Chapter 22-In the Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The assistant of a blind photographer notices a dead Petty Officer in one of the photographs and calls NCIS. Gibbs and his team respond to the case and use the photographer's help to re-construct the crime scene through his heightened senses of hearing and scent to find out who killed the victim. Meanwhile, both Gibbs and Tony are having love troubles.

Gibbs wasn't quite sure whether they'd been celebrating the fact that Jen had failed to get anything on La Grenouille or if they were just celebrating the end of a case. All he knew was that he'd woken up the next morning with Tony by his side. He vaguely remembered Tony putting his arm around McGee and complimenting him on his actions during the case, leading Gibbs to growling and hauling him off. At the moment Tony was blissfully out of it. Tony had been just as enthusiastic about their reunion as he had. Evidently all was not well in Tony's relationship with that Jeanne person. Well, meeting the in-laws was a sure relationship killer.

Debating whether to get up and make coffee or enjoy another round with Tony, the fates decided differently.

"Yeah," Gibbs answered his cell phone. He glanced at Tony's nude body and mentally sighed. "I'll be right there."

That was why Gibbs was in Hollis Manns' apartment trying to fix a leak in her pipes when he got the call. A dead sailor the caller said. 

Turned out that Mr. Jackson Scott a blind photographer had taken a picture that once developed showed the body of a dead man in uniform. His assistant, Bryn Landers, had called in NCIS. Since becoming blind ten years previously from an auto accident Jackson had developed his other senses to use when taking his photo's. He would follow sounds or in this case a scent. His memory was extraordinary. He could tell you exactly where he'd been when he took each shot.

They managed to find the body under an underpass, right were Jackson said he'd snapped the picture. Stabbed to death. There was no wallet, no id., just a knife. Everything seemed to point to a mugging, but Gibbs guts said otherwise.

Gibbs was down in autopsy, hoping Ducky had found something to shed some light on the mysterious death when Tony arrived with information. The dead body now had a name. 

"Petty Officer Peter Lynn, worked for the supply corp. of the Defense Logistic Agency which was known as the D.L.A. to those in the k-n-o-w." 

According to Ducky the stomach contents included a cheese blintz, red wine-probably a cheap Bordeaux-and almost a pound of veal. Vomit found at the scene suggested that Lynn's assailant had also eaten a cheese blintz, indicating whoever had killed the man had shared a meal with him. All which meant it wasn't a random mugging. Tony planned on assigning Ziva to find the restaurant. 

In the meantime they had Lynn's address. There were only a couple of things of interest in his apartment. A computer screen of the Eagle Nebula and five bags of trash. Shredded trash. When Gibbs found time to drop by Abby's lab to see what she'd found he learned that the last time Abby had reconstructed a bunch of shredded documents was after she'd had her psych profile done. Only it wasn't her profile that she'd reconstructed...it was McGee's. Oh, and she'd quit drinking Caf-Pows in an effort to cut down on caffeine. 

Gibbs was irritated that she hadn't managed to find anything from the documents yet, but Abby informed him that Mr. Mildly Neurotic Introvert with a highly sensitive ego had found something.

"Yeah. Um...I was going through Petty Officer Lynn's computer, looking for his address book when I found this. It's called Celestia. It's an open source astronomy program popular with space enthusiast, people in the field..."

"I'm not one of them, McGee," Gibbs interrupted.

"Sorry. My point is it's supposed to be an accurate simulation, but I found a star system that doesn't belong."

Abby laughed. "Of course you did."

"Programs open source, which means you can adapt it to pretty much anything...education, games. You can store a grocery list or in this case use it for a diary."

"What a better place to hide all your secrets but in a galaxy far, far away."

McGee claimed it had to be the most boring diary he'd ever read. But two weeks ago it got interesting. Lynn wrote that he'd been contacted by someone in the Naval Inspector General's office in Norfolk and asked to go on a mission. He didn't say who asked him nor what kind of mission, but it was the last entry. So Gibbs did what Gibbs did best, he sent Tony and Ziva to find out.

Tony and Ziva were told that the petty officer wasn't assisting in an investigation...he was the one being investigated. He had been accused of selling information to competing vendors. It was shortly after that, that Tony disappeared to a dental appointment or so he said.

Ziva had located the restaurant that served the cheese blintzes, and with Scotts help came up with a picture that showed a vehicle that had been idling outside the restaurant. Abby was able to pull up the license plate, which gave them a partial number. Ziva matched it to a name. TA54021 registered to David George Wong who worked for...wait for it...the Inventory Management at Defense Logistic Agency. Other than that his record was squeaky clean. 

Petty Officer Lynn's superiors had a lot of nice things to say about him, according to McGee. They were however worried about the guy across the hall from him - one David Wong, who incidentally had gone to lunch four hours previously and never came back.

Later on that evening Gibbs was working on his boat with the assistance of Holly Mann when he learned that she was filing for retirement and was looking for a commitment...from him. What was it about women. He'd learned earlier that day that Tony had been trapped into offering to share an apartment with Jeanne. That too smacked of commitment. He liked Holly, but there was Tony to consider. He didn't want to tell her that, so he used the case as an excuse for not giving her an answer.

Gibbs wanted answers on the case and he wanted it now. Tony had gone to check on how Abby was doing and complained that she had almost bit his head off. McGee suggested that it might have been because she was giving up caffeine. A suggestion that neither Tony nor Ziva believed. Gibbs ended up having to give Tony a head slap to get him back on track. It must have worked, because the next thing Gibbs knew Tony was indicating that they had two competing theories. Theory one - it was possible that Petty Officer Lynn and Wong ere working together. That they had a falling out and Wong ended their relationship-permanently. Theory two - provided by McGee- was that the commander from the IAG had it wrong about Petty Officer Lynn. Gibbs then theorized that Wong was the one selling the info, Petty Officer Lynn found out and Wong killed him. To prove either theory they would need a warrant from Agent Lee to find out more on Wong. 

Just then Palmer appeared with the warrant. Gibbs knew he was using it as an excuse to search for something because Ducky had already told him about finding a bra in one of the drawers in autopsy. Ducky, of course, had not let it slip that he was aware of Palmer's and Lee's relationship. McGee mentioned the fact that he had caught Palmer in the gym hiding in the towel bins. Gibbs wondered just how many different places had he and former Special Agent Lee had shared intimate moments and what it was that Palmer was looking for?

When Abby called to let Gibbs know she'd found something, Tony managed to disappear. The team found him behind the stairwell talking on his cell phone. They couldn't help but hear his side of the conversation and it didn't take much to come to the conclusion that Tony was having second thoughts about sharing an apartment with Jeanne. Since Gibbs was suffering from a similar situation, he understood about Tony's commitment issue all too well. 

What she found was a bug. It appeared that someone had placed it under the caps lock key on Wong's keyboard. Abby's thought was that Wong had bugged himself. Gibbs wanted to know why. Wong didn't know the passwords he was using because of the security protocols, so by bugging himself he could record the keystrokes. No password would be safe. Gibbs wanted to know what it was that Wong had typed, but Abby insisted that it was impossible to know because the bug broadcasted then dumped. Tony suggested trying the buffer, a suggestion that surprised everyone since it has the possibility of working. What they found were directions to an abandoned DLA warehouse. In short order they gathered everything they would need to raid the place only to find Wong hanging from the rafters.

They also found a suicide note admitting guilt. The note was in Wong's own handwriting and was signed David B. Wong. The problem was that Wong's middle initial was G. On further investigation it turned out that he had written not the letter B, but 13 or I 3. That made it murder not suicide.

In the meantime Abby had been working on face recognition and had found a familiar face in one of Mr. Scott's photo's. They pulled in his Ms. Landers for interrogation, along with Mr. Scott. It turned out that the reason she had followed him was because she loved him. While Mr. Scott was reeling from hearing Bryn's confession, Palmer dropped in still looking for Lee's missing panties. While Palmer blathered on about looking for some pipettes Gibbs notice that a strange look on Scott's face. He immediately stopped Palmer from leaving the room. 

"What?" he asked Scott.

"The fruit smell from that night," Scott reached out to touch Palmer. 

"Oh, oh my gosh. I forgot to take my insulin." He turned to Gibbs to explain. "I was so busy looking for the...pipettes that I forgot."

"Insulin?" Tony asked.

"I have mild diabetes. When my blood sugar spikes my breath gets a mild fruity smell. Is my breath that bad?" He looked around. "Why is everyone looking at me like I'm in some kind of trouble?" 

Bingo. The case was solved.

As Tony explained it when they went to arrest Commander Doug Jacobsen, "We believe someone has been running a bogus investigation out of your office."

"The Lynn case?" the commander blew his nose in his handkerchief.

"Our suspect told Petty Office Lynn a co-worker was under investigation for embezzling," McGee took over explaining.

"A lie," Gibbs contributed.

"And asked Lynn to plant a bug in the co-workers office," McGee continued. "That co-worker was David Wong."

"The lie was to get Wong's password to the DLA accounting database," Tony contributed.

"The suspect was the one who was embezzling." Gibbs finished.

McGee took his turn. "You can check DLA ledger activity I-Three. It's all there." 

"The funny part is Wong grew suspicious and contacted you. Which is ironic since you were the one running the bogus investigation out of this office in the first place." Tony continued.

"We traced the log-ons to DLA servers back to your computer. Also a waiter places you at the restaurant with Lynn," McGee placed the final nail in Jacobson's coffin.

Finally as only Tony can. "And we have come to believe that it was Colonel Mustard in the conservatory with a wrench."

"How?" Jacobson wanted to know.

"Jackson Scott decided to follow the fruit." Gibbs answered.

Tony pulled the insulin out of Jacobson's draw. "As a diabetic you should have skipped the cheese blintz."

TaDa!!!

By the time the case ended there were two things that stood out. Gibbs and Tony were both suffering from focus and commitment issues, each a path only a blind man could follow.


	23. He Didn't Say Goodbye (Tony's POV) Chapter 23-Trojan Horse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A man is found dead in a taxi headed to the NCIS headquarters but his body shows no signs of external injuries. Gibbs decides to lead the investigation into the man's death in preference to performing his duties as the Acting Director of NCIS while Jenny is in Paris attending an Interpol conference. When the team discovers that the people whose names were found on a list belonging to the dead man are all dead, Gibbs suspects that the list is a decoy used to distract them.

Final report of the Scalletti case.

Tony looked down at the folder that held the report he had written. He had debated getting Ziva or McGee to write it, but they refused. The question was should he turn it in now or wait? If he turned it in now, Gibbs as acting Director would go over it with a fine tooth comb and he'd end up redoing it, what, four or five times? It was well after midnight and the director should have returned from the Interpol Anti-terrorist Conference Paris by now. 

Like Gibbs, Tony had his spies. Actually they were his frat brothers, but that's another story. He knew where Jen Shepard was though he didn't exactly know why. He knew she had met with CIA agent Trent Kort in Paris. He also knew she had taken a flight to Russia to talk with a Colonel-General Dimitri Borov. He was pretty sure that it had something to do with La Grenouille, he just didn't know what. 

Damn Jen for going on that Conference and leaving Leroy Jethro Gibbs in charge. What could she possibly be thinking? She had only been gone four days and Gibbs hadn't been unable to resist the lure of a case, this case. The really irritating thing was that Ducky had won the pool. True there was only fifty dollars in it, but it was the principal of the thing. He'd started the pool so he should have won it.

He opened the folder, checking it over one last time for any mistakes.

Appendage to Marco Scalletti file

Tony shook his head. The original file wasn't even one of theirs. Strangely enough their case started with a dead body in a taxi at the NCIS gate and ended up being tied in with Special Agent Gillmans' case. Now where was the page with the victim's information. Tony flipped through several sheets until he found it.

Victim: Hamel Farhen, Date of Birth: 6/28/86   
Yehmen Citizen, Occupation Gardener  
Applied for a Student Visa twice. Application denied.  
Copy of Driver's license   
Ducky's medical report attached  
Abby's forensic report attached  
Copy of list found on victim attached.

That seemed all in order. Tony decided to flip to Ducky's report first. Not an easy read, too many technical terms. If Tony remembered rightly, Ducky had indicated that there was no blood, no bullet holes, no knife punctures, no obvious signs of bruising, no ligature marks, no petechial hemorrhaging on the eyes or eyelids. No cause of death? Tony chuckled as he remembered suggesting that it might be death by embarrassment, since he didn't have enough cash to pay for the taxi, but Ducky vetoed that idea saying it wasn't a certifiable cause. 

Next he flipped to Abby's reports. Abby was so meticulous, there was the report on the cab - the report on the tox screen - the report on the piece of foam found in the evidence locker.

Saxitoxin C10 H17 N7 O4 -Neurotoxin, a poison that is produced by a single-cell organism that flourishes in the warm months. It disrupts the electrical impulses to the brain, and the body forgets how to breath, how to live and it is practically undetectable. That information might come in handy some day. Hmmm, the Saxitoxin levels were a hundred times higher the he could have possibly consumed eating shell fish. 

The list from his wallet with seven names on it.

Maurie Goldberg- Age 79 (Died of heart attack)  
Sean Price - Age 24 (Died of SADS)  
Thomas West - Age 62 (Died of car crash)  
Adam Zeilig - Age 33 (Drowning)  
Hamel Farhen-Age 30 (Poison)  
David Brown  
Robert Smith

If Tony remembered rightly, there wasn't much in the way of cash, certainly not enough to pay the cab fare which was $27.65. And lucky him, he got to check out the names on that list. Five of the seven names found on the list found in Farhans' wallet were dead. The first died three weeks ago, the last, not including Farhan, died Monday. One list five people dead. What was the connection? According to the NSA decryption program the only thing the five had in common was a five and a three in their social security numbers, except for Farhan who did not have a social security card. No common churches, social clubs, schools, or fraternities. The only other place they had met was in the obituary column of the paper. He remembered all too well him and Ziva and working to locate the last two in order to try and find a connection between the seven. Tony had taken David Brown, of which there were 32 in the metro area, leaving 41 Robert Smiths for Ziva. From the looks of it Ziva's report would have to be condensed. Way too much trivia.

Now where was the report on Ferhan, Gibbs was supposed to have completed that one.

He shuffled through the report. Maybe Gibbs hadn't had time to hand it in or was going to insert it in later. He'd have to check on that.

Next was the information gathered on the cab driver. 

Taxi Driver: Joe Kelly, 2323 N. Upshur St., Arlington, VA 22207. Date of Birth: 12/3/66. Married. Cab driver 22 years.  
Charge: Accomplish to attempted murder  
See attach signed statement

McGee had done the background check on Kelly. Other than a couple of traffic violations, he was clean. Kelly had insisted that the victim had hailed him on 25th Street and told him to bring him here. No particular agent. He claimed to never have seen the victim before and his report had stated that the man seemed out of breath, kept looking over his shoulder as if afraid he was being followed. Tony still had no idea why Gibbs had kept the man in the conference room for the entire day. Taxi cabs onboard computer tracked Ferhan's movements with a GPS. Kelly had not taken the most direct route from the embassy where Ferhan had been picked up. Did not match the distance Kelly claimed to have traveled.

That seemed all in order. 

Final summary. Tony didn't even bother with reading that bit. It had turned out that the cab driver was just a cover so that he could smuggle in an accomplice, Mario Vincetti, hidden under the front seat in the taxi so he could gain access to the evidence locker and exchange the gun that Abby had with another when the defense did their own ballistic tests in an attempt to discredit Abby's testimony. A true Trojan Horse. Almost got away with it, too. If Abby hadn't gone down to the evidence locker to quadruple check the gun and found a piece of foam on the floor of the evidence lock-up and matched it with the foam from the cab they would have never made the connection.

"Shouldn't you be going home?"

Tony looked up from perusal of his report before tossing it aside. "Not sure I want to. Oh, by the way, where's the report on Ferhan?"

"It's here somewhere." Gibbs sat at his desk and rifled through the papers on it, found it, tossed it to Tony, then raised an inquiring brow.

Tony looked it over. An embassy attaché showed up to identify the body? Son of one of the minister's advisers. Wanted to learn English.

"Kinda skimpy, Boss."

"Well that's what happens when you delegate authority." He snagged his jacket off the back of his chair and settled it on his shoulders. "It's time to go, DiNozzo."

Tony set aside the report. He'd turn it in later. The two men walked side by side to the elevator.

"Gonna tell me what's bothering you?" Gibbs asked.

"Jeanne wants to buy a house."

"That's some commitment." 

"Tell me about it." Tony pressed the down button. "How's things going with Colonel Mann?"

"She's pestering me for a commitment. I've been there, done that. Not sure I want to do it again."

"That's the difference between you and me. Now Jeanne...I love her, Boss. I don't want to hurt her."

"Who said you will?"

"Me." Tony sighed. "Why can't women be more like...us."

Gibbs reached around Tony and shut down the elevator. After a bit of silence Gibbs finally spoke.

"Tony, I want you to know that if you need anything my door is always open."

"Thanks, Boss. That means a lot to me." Tony paused and frowned. "Wait a moment. Your door is never locked."

A guard making his rounds paused as he heard a gale of laughter coming from out of nowhere.


	24. Where Do We Go From Here? (Gibbs POV)  Chapter 24-Angel of Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jenny returns from her European trip and discovers that she had an unannounced visitor at her home who she suspects is her supposedly dead father. All NCIS agents are scheduled to take a Homeland Security polygraph test, which Gibbs finds out to have been arranged by the CIA. An unarmed Tony and Jeanne are held hostage in the hospital morgue by a drug dealer, who is desperate to remove his shipment of drugs from the dead body packer. Tony eventually meets the man he's been trying to find all these months - René Benoit, also known as La Grenouille who is revealed to be Jeanne's father.

One thing Gibbs learned from this case. Never text while walking. Bad things happen.

Like polygraphs. Everyone had lies that they wanted hidden. Hell, he had a couple of big ones. McGee, now, he'd lied without realizing it. When Abby fixed up a trial polygraph, he'd lied about his name. True his legal name is Timothy McGee and his pen name Thom E Gemcity. He'd forgotten about Probie and Elf Lord. Which technically made his answer a lie. The question was why was he needing to practice for a polygraph?

When McGee made it back to his desk, Gibbs ordered him to sign a form that he had filled out. When he asked what he was signing Gibbs informed him that it was a get out of jail free card. NCIS couldn't afford to lose an agent of McGee's caliber and Gibbs needed him to hack into the CIA. Gibbs guts were saying that the polygraph tests were for something in particular. He'd had a chat with Fonell, who confirmed that the CIA was behind it and that they were after the Director. Now he needed to know why.

He wasn't stupid. He knew the glass and bottle of scotch in Jenn's home office meant something. He also knew she was having Abby trace fingerprints from both. Jen was no more a scotch drinker than he was.

"Boss, you were right."

Gibbs turned from his thoughts to take in McGee's report. "The order for polygraphs came from the Assistant Secretary for Intrastructure Protection, but it didn't originate from there. I traced it to his IMAP account using an encryption algorithm developed...but you're not really interested in how I did this are you?"

"No, I'm not."

"Well, the order went from homeland security to China, then Kurdistan. It went through a secondary server to India, to the island of Cypress. Then through Puerto Rico where it followed a bank line back to DC and..."

"CIA."

"Specifically their National Clandestine Service. It went in and out of a maze of incoming and outgoing Black Op chatter. All encrypted. That's where I lost it. But I found it again. It's part of a black op. It's code name Lodestone. Running out of the CIA section for weapon's control and arms proliferation."

"The Frog."

Damn, it was tough being right. This would all be easier if Tony was around to help. Where the hell was he?

"Jethro, Jethro!" Gibbs looked up at Ducky hurrying toward him.

"What's the problem, Duck."

"It's Tony. We all met at the bar for a drink. You should have joined us. Anyway Ziva has a bad feeling about him."

Gibbs raised a brow. "It's Friday night. He's probably out with that girlfriend of his. Why should Ziva care anyhow?"

"Jethro, he is her partner. He said he'd be at the bar and he hasn't shown. I know what it's like to have a partner." Ducky was insistent.

"Boss. Someone's looking at me." 

Gibbs turned his attention back to McGee. "It's the cleaning crew."

McGee shook his head. "No, on the computer. I've got to shut down my UDP port. I don't think it penetrated my firewall."

"What the hell is it?"

"It's a botagent. It's probably one of the CIA's. Botaget--short for robotic agent, designed to crawl the interned looking for snoopers like us."

"This for real?"

"Oh, yeah, Boss. If this had penetrated my firewall, it could have downloaded my hard drives. The CIA would have all our data and know we were onto Lodestone."

"Can you kill it."

"No. I could mirror my firewalls so that when it looks in, it could just see itself."

"How long?"

"Too long. Or I could use another computer." He moved over to Ziva's desk. "Boss, there is just one thing..."

"There is always just one thing, McGee."

"A really smart botagent won't just sit on my computer. It'll look for my search patterns on the internet."

"This is like tracking a dirtbag, McGee. You stake out his house. You put out a BOLO. You keep tabs on the girl."

"I never thought of it that way."

"Start a new search."

"Okay. What am I looking for--"

"The girlfriend. Jenny Sheppard."

Gibbs went to the window, watching the rain fall down. "When you look at me like that, McGee. I get this overwhelming urge to head slap you."

"Speaking of Tony," Ducky broke in worriedly "What are you going to do?"

"What do you want me to do, Ducky?" Gibbs asked. "Go home. I'll walk you to your car."

Gibbs returned from seeing a protesting Ducky off and brought with him two cups of coffee. He handed one off to McGee. In spite of what he'd told Ducky, he too was worried about Tony. Something in his gut told him that all was not well. His attention was caught by a photo of a distinguished man in uniform that was on the plasma screen.

"Who's this?" Gibbs asked.

"It's the Director's father. Colonel Jasper Shepard. You don't know him?"

Gibbs shook his head. "She never talked about family."

"Like you." Words that McGee regretted the moment he said them.

"She has his eyes. He still alive?"

McGee punched away at the computer keys. "Deceased. Suicide, twelve years ago."

Gibbs eyes widened. There was definitely more to this than met the eye.

 

Meanwhile Tony and Jeanne were exiting the hospital. It had been a long night...you might even say downright strange. If getting knocked out by a drug crazed guy wasn't enough, getting into a waiting Limo was definitely surprising. 

"Bonjour, Papa."

Tony slipped in behind Jeanne and got his first up-close look at Jeanne's father.

"So this must be Anthony DiNardo," La Grenouille asked his daughter. He kissed Tony on both cheeks. "Welcome to the family...,Professor."

Talk about your Angel of Death.


End file.
